4» 


I  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY,| 
^  Princeton,  N.  J.  ^ 

BX  5199   .H54  L4  1841 

The  Life  of  Rev.  James 
Hervey,  M.A. ,  rector  of 


I 

.1 


4 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2015 


https://archive.org/details/lifeofrevjamesheOOunse 


THE  LIFE 


OF 


Ret.  JAMES  HERVEY,  M.A. 


RECTOR  OP  WESTON-FAVEL. 


PHILADELPHIA: 

PRESBYTERIAN   BOARD  OF  PUBLICATION. 

JAMES  RDS3ELL,  FCBLISHINQ  AQENT. 

1841. 


Printed  by 

WILLIAM  9.  MARTIEN. 


LIFE 

OF  THE 

Rev.  JAMES  HERVEY. 


HIS  BIRTH,  EDUCATION,  AND  CONVERSION. 

This  eminent  Christian,  and  excellent  minister, 
was  born  February  26, 1713,  at  Hardingstone,  near 
Northampton,  England,  his  father  being  then  mi- 
nister of  Collingtree  in  that  neigbourhood.  He 
received  his  first  instruction  from  his  mother,  who 
taught  him  to  read.  Under  her  tuition  he  continued 
till  he  was  seven  years  of  age,  when  he  was  sent 
to  the  grammar  school  of  Northampton,  where  he 
remained  till  he  was  seventeen,  and  learned  the 
Latin  and  Greek  languages,  in  which  his  genius 
and  memory  would  have  enabled  him  to  make  a 
much  greater  progress,  if  it  had  not  been  prevented 
by  his  schoolmaster,  who  would  not  suffer  him, 
nor  any  of  his  scholars,  to  learn  faster  than  his  own 
son. 

In  1731  he  was  sent  to  Oxford,  where  he  re- 
sided several  years.  The  first  two  or  three  years 
of  his  residence  at  this  university  were  not  distin- 
guished by  that  diligent  appHcation  to  .study  for 
which  he  was  afterwards  eminent.  Mr.  Ryland 
says,  "  While  at  the  university,  he  was  much  at  a 
loss  for  want  of  a  faithful  friend  to  direct  him  to 
proper  studies:  he  was  ordered,  in  a  very  careless 


4 


LIFE  OF 


manner,  to  read  such  and  such  books,  which  were 
altogether  unsuitable  to  his  taste,  and,  in  a  high 
degree,  afforded  matter  of  disgust  and  discourage- 
ment. At  last,  by  the  peculiar  agency  of  Provi- 
dence, he  was  led  to  read  Abbe  de  Pluche's  Nature 
Displayed,  well  known  by  the  title  Spectacle  de  la 
Nature.  The  intrinsic  beauty  of  the  piece  allured 
his  imagination  and  passions;  and  when  he  had 
made  an  entrance  into  the  work,  he  read  with  in- 
cessant eagerness,  improvement  and  pleasure.  This 
•work  cherished  his  natural  passion  for  knowledge. 
He  added  Dr.  Derham's  Astro-Theology :  this 
book  assisted  him  in  his  first  learned  ideas  of  the 
starry  heavens,  and  led  him  into  views  of  the  whole 
Newtonian  system  of  philosophy.  His  concep- 
tions were  further  aided  by  Ray's  Wisdom  of  God 
in  Creation,  and  Dr.  Derham's  Demonstration  of 
the  Being  and  attributes  of  God,  in  his  Physico- 
Theology.  To  these  books  he  added  Keil's  Ana- 
tomy, which  he  studied  with  such  incessant  atten- 
tion, and  perpetual  reviews,  as  to  make  himself  ac- 
quainted with  the  structure  of  the  human  body 
better  than  any  man  I  ever  knew.  He  went  on  to 
read  Mr.  Spence's  Five  Dialogues  on  Pope's 
Translation  of  Homer,  which,  he  often  assured 
me,  gave  him  a  greater  insight  into  the  nature  and 
beauty  of  composition  than  any  author  he  ever 
read.  By  the  most  accurate  digestion  of  these  au- 
thors in  his  understanding,  and  a  continued  con- 
templation of  the  book  of  nature,  he  advanced  his 
mind,  and  polished  his  genius  in  the  line  of  sci- 
ence." 

In  1733,  becoming  acquainted  with  some  fellow- 
students,*  who  began  to  distinguish  themselves  by 
their  serious  impressions  of  religion,  and  their  zeal 


*  Messrs.  Wesley,  Morgan,  Ingham,  and  Whitefield- 


REV.   JAMES  HERVEY. 


5 


to  promote  it,  he  was  engaged  in  a  strict  attention 
to  piety  and  usefulness.  At  this  time  he  received 
the  communion  every  Sabbath,  and  visited  the  sick 
and  the  prisoners  in  the  jail:  we  find  him  also 
reading  to  poor  people,  who  had  not  the  advantage 
of  knowing  letters.  He  speaks  of  this  to  a  friend: 
*'  I  employ  every  day  an  hour  or  more,  which  I 
think  is  as  much  time  as  I  can  spare  from  my  stu- 
dies, with  some  well-inclined  people  of  the  poorer 
sort;  we  read  Henry  on  the  Holy  Scriptures,  and 
pray  together:  there  is  one  set  in  one  part  of  the 
city,  and  another  in  another;  I  meet  at  a  neigh- 
bour's house." 

At  this  time  a  happy  friendship  commenced  be- 
tween Mr.  Hervey,  while  at  home,  and  Mr.  Ris- 
don  Darracot,  a  student  under  Dr.  Doddridge:  two 
souls  eminently  congenial  for  warm  piety  and  use- 
fulness. At  a  religious  man's  house,  who  belonged 
to  Dr.  Doddridge's  church,  but  was  in  the  parish 
of  VVeston-Favel,  they  had  their  first  interview. 
Of  this  Darracot  says,  "Though  now  almost  nine- 
teen years  ago,  I  retain  a  delightful  impression  Oi 
our  converse  then."  They  continued  to  corres- 
pond through  life. 

While  at  college,  he  often  wrote  to  his  relations, 
particularly  to  one  of  his  sisters.  Besides  much 
good  advice,  he  says,  "  I  have  frequently  recol- 
lected, and,  as  it  were,  acted  over  again,  the  many 
pleasant  hours  we  have  spent  together  in  reading 
holy  and  edifying  works,  or  discoursing  on  pious 
and  useful  subjects."  Mr.  Hervey  being  a  pupil 
of  Mr.  .Tohn  Wesley  at  this  time,  he  gratefully  ac- 
knowledges his  kindness  to  him  in  the  following 
words:  "I  heartily  thank  you,  as  for  all  other  fa- 
vours, so  especially  for  teaching  me  Hebrew.  I 
have  cultivated  this  study,  according  to  your  ad- 
vice.   I  can  never  forget  that^tender-hearted  and 


6 


LIFE  OF 


generous  Fellow  of  Lincoln,  who  conclescended  to 
take  such  compassionate  notice  of  a  poor  luuler- 
graduate,  whom  almost  every  body  contemned,  and 
no  man  cared  for  my  soul."  The  practice  of  Wes- 
ley through  life,  was  to  rise  very  early  in  the  morn- 
ing; and  in  this  he  was  imitated  by  liis  amiable 
pupil,  who  was  often  seen  at  his  studies  when  the 
other  members  of  the  college  were  retiring  to  rest. 

He  was  ordained  a  deacon,  by  Dr.  Potter,  bishop 
of  Oxford,  September  14,  1736;  and  immediately 
afterwards  he  gave  up  an  exhibition  he  liad  from 
his  college  of  twenty  pounds  a  year :  his  reason 
for  which  was,  that  he  thought  it  unjust  to  retain 
what  another  student  might  stand  in  need  of. 

It  appears,  from  his  first  letters,  that  in  his  early 
youth  he  showed  a  serious  turn  of  mind ;  but  se- 
veral of  these  speak  a  language  very  different  from 
those  truths  for  which  he  was  afterwards  so  able 
and  zealous  an  advocate ;  the  fact  is,  he  was  then 
an  entire  stranger  to  the  doctrine  of  justitication  by 
faith  in  the  imputed  righteousness  of  Christ,  and 
had  strong  prepossessions  against  it.  An  intimate 
friend  of  Mr.  Hervey  has  told  the  public,*  (and 
lie  most  likely  received  the  information  from  him- 
self,) that  till  he  was  eighteen  he  had  no  serious 
impressions  of  religion,  and  afterwards,  till  he  was 
twenty-seven,  his  views  of  divine  truth  were  dark, 
indistinct,  and  confused.  In  this  way  he  preached 
for  several  years. 

Mr.  Ryland  says,  "  All  this  time  Avas  spent  in 
reading  improper  books,  trusting  to  his  own  virtue 
and  righteousness  for  justification,  and  without  the 
joys  of  God's  salvation.  He  had  no  friend  in 
all  the  world  to  recommend  to  him  the  best  books 
— no  friend  to  explain  to  him  the  true  sense  and 


*  Rev.  John  Ryland,  late  of  Northampton, 


REV.  JAMES  HERVEY. 


7 


meaning  of  the  Holy  Scriptures.  All  his  ex- 
ternal observances,  and  his  attempts  to  practise 
virtue,  had  a  tendency  to  build  up  a  strong  barrier 
between  Christ  and  his  soul.  During  part  of  this 
period,  he  possessed  what  he  afterwards  reckoned 
a  rich  treasure  of  gospel-truth,  '  Marshall  on  Sanc- 
tification ;'  but  he  let  it  lie  by  in  his  study,  without 
the  least  attention,  or  so  much  as  once  reading  it, 
till  at  last  the  providence  and  grace  of  God  roused 
him  to  read  this  treatise,  which  was  so  much  bless- 
ed to  him.  Mr.  Hervey  was  left  to  make  his  own 
way  in  religious  knowledge,  and  for  a  long  time 
that  way  was  in  the  dark:  at  last,  in  1741,  Jenks 
on  Submission  to  Christ's  Righteousness,  and  RaAv- 
lin  on  Justification,  were  put  into  his  hand  by  Di- 
vine Providence.  These  were  the  books  which, 
under  the  influence  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  lirst  di- 
rected his  apprehensions  to  Christ's  righteousness. 
Marshall  on  Sanctification  first  led  him  to  the  great 
spring  and  means  of  gospel  holiness.  Mr.  Thomas 
Hall  on  Perseverance,  in  the  Lime  Street  Lectures, 
first  led  him  into  the  comfort  of  that  doctrine.  He 
acknowledged  to  the  Rev.  Moses  Brown,  that  Zim- 
merman on  the  Excellency  of  the  Knowledge  of 
Christ,  was  among  the  first  books  that  led  him  to 
have  a  clear  light  and  understanding  of  the  gospel, 
and  had  been  blessed  to  his  experiencing  true  esta- 
blished rest  in  his  soul.  He  was  also  much  assisted 
in  his  researches  into  evangelical  truth  by  Boston's 
Fourfold  State  of  Man,  and  Witsius  on  the  Cove- 
nants. Of  this  author  he  says,  "  I  cannot  but  la- 
ment it,  as  one  of  my  greatest  losses,  that  I  was 
not  sooner  acquainted  with  this  most  excellent  au- 
thor, all  whose  works  have  such  a  delicacy  of  com- 
position, and  such  a  sweet  savour  of  holiness,  that 
I  know  not  any  comparison  more  proper  to  repre- 
sent their  true  character,  than  the  golden  pot  which 


8 


LIFE  OF 


had  manna,  and  was  outwardly  bright  with  bur- 
nished gold,  inwardly  rich  with  heavenly  food." 
While  he  perused  these  treatises,  he  found  many 
expressions  contrary  to  his  pre-conceived  and  legal 
ideas,  being  quite  unaccustomed,  as  he  says,  to  the 
joyful  sound  of  grace  and  salvation,  infinitely  rich 
grace,  and  perfectly  free  salvation,  they  seemed 
strange  language  to  him :  but  he  constantly  read  on, 
till,  under  a  divine  blessing,  he  knew  the  grace  of 
God  in  truth  ;  and  examining  and  explaining  these 
expressions,  found  them  to  coincide  entirely  with 
the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus. 

The  state  of  Mr.  Hervey's  mind  at  this  time  is 
illustrated  by  the  following  interesting  anecdote : 
In  the  parish  where  Mr,  Hervey  preached,  there 
resided  a  plougliman,  who  usually  attended  the  mi- 
nistry of  Dr.  Doddridge,  and  who  was  well  inform- 
ed in  the  doctrines  of  grace.  Mr.  Hervey  being 
advised  by  his  physician,  for  the  benefit  of  his 
health,  to  follow  the  plough,  in  order  to  smell  the 
fresh  earth,  frequently  accompanied  this  plough- 
man in  his  rural  employment.  Mr.  Hervey  under- 
standing the  ploughman  was  a  serious  person,  said 
to  him  one  morning,  "  What  do  you  think  is  the 
hardest  thing  in  religion?  To  which  he  replied, 
"  I  am  a  poor  illiterate  man,  and  you.  Sir,  are  a 
minister;  I  beg  leave  to  return  the  question."  Then 
said  Mr.  Hervey,  "  I  think  the  hardest  thing  is  to 
deny  sinful  self,"  grounding  his  opinion  on  that 
solemn  admonition  of  our  Lord,  "  If  any  man  will 
come  after  me,  let  him  deny  himself."  "  I  argued," 
says  Mr.  Hervey,  "  upon  the  import  and  extent  of 
the  duty,  showing  that  merely  to  forbear  the  infa- 
mous action  is  little,  we  must  deny  admittance, 
deny  entertainment,  at  least,  to  the  evil  imagina- 
tion, and  quench  even  the  enkindling  spark  of  irre- 
gular desire."  In  this  way  I  shot  my  random  bolt. 


EEV.   JAMES  HERVET. 


9 


The  ploughman  repUed,  "  There  is  another  in- 
stance of  self-denial,  to  which  the  injunction  ex- 
tends, which  is  of  great  moment,  and  the  hardest 
thing  in  religion,  and  that  is,  to  deny  righteous 
self.  You  know  I  do  not  come  to  hear  you  preach, 
but  go,  every  Sabbath,  with  my  family,  to  North- 
ampton, to  hear  Dr.  Doddridge.  We  rise  early  in 
the  morning,  and  have  prayers  before  we  set  out, 
in  which  I  find  pleasure;  walking  there  and  back 
I  find  pleasure;  under  the  sermon  I  find  pleasure; 
when  at  the  Lord's  table  I  find  pleasure ;  we  read 
a  portion  of  the  Scriptures  and  go  to  prayers  in  the 
evening,  and  find  pleasure ;  but,  to  this  moment  I 
find  it  the  hardest  thing  to  deny  righteous  self;  I 
mean  the  renouncing  of  our  own  strength,  and  of 
our  own  righteousness,  not  leaning  on  that  for  ho- 
liness, nor  relying  on  this  for  justification."  In 
repeating  the  story  to  a  friend,  Mr.  Hervey  ob- 
served, "  I  then  hated  the  righteousness  of  Christ; 
I  looked  at  the  man  with  astonishment  and  disdain, 
and  thought  him  an  old  fool,  and  wondered  at,  what 
I  then  fancied,  the  modey  mixture  of  piety  and 
oddity  in  his  notions.  I  have  since  clearly  seen 
who  was  the  fool — not  the  wise  old  Christian,  but 
the  proud  James  Hervey;  I  now  discern  sense, 
solidity,  and  truth  in  his  observations." 

During  this  period  of  his  life,  Mr.  Whitefield 
corresponded  with  him.  The  following  letter, 
while  it  exhibits  that  good  man's  concern  for  him, 
makes  Mr,  Hervey's  principles  and  views  also  evi- 
dent: "I  long  to  have  my  dear  friend  come  forth 
and  preach  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus;  not  a  right- 
eousness or  inward  holiness  of  our  own,  whereby 
we  make  ourselves  meet,  but  the  righteousness  of 
another,  even  the  Lord  our  righteousness;  upon 
the  imputation  and  apprehending  of  which  by  faith, 
we  shall  be  made  meet  by  his  Holy  Spirit  to  live 


mi 

10  L  I  F  E   O  F 


with  and  enjoy  God.  Dear  Mr.  Hervey,  it  is  an 
excellent  thin;^  to  be  convinced  of  the  freeness  and 
riches  of  God's  grace  in  Christ  Jesus;  it  is  sweet 
to  know  and  preach  that  Christ  justifies  the  un- 
godly, and  that  all  good  works  are  not  so  much  as 
partly  tlie  cause,  but  the  effect  of  our  justification 
before  God.  Till  convinced  of  these  truths,  you 
must  own  free-will  in  man,  which  is  directly  con- 
trary to  the  Holy  Scriptures,  and  the  articles  of  our 
church.  Let  me  advise  dear  Mr.  Hervey,  laying 
aside  all  prejudice,  to  read  and  pray  over  St.  Paul's 
episdes  to  the  Romans  and  Galatians,  and  then  let 
him  tell  me  what  he  thinks  of  this  doctrine.  Most 
of  our  old  friends  are  now  happily  enlightened; 
God  sets  his  seal  to  such  preaching  in  an  extraor- 
dinary manner,  and  I  am  persuaded  the  gates  of 
hell  will  never  be  able  to  prevail  against  it.  O  that 
dear  Mr.  Hervey  would  also  join  with  us!  O  that 
the  Lord  would  open  his  eyes  to  behold  aright  this 
mystery  of  godliness !  How  would  it  rejoice  my 
heart!  how  would  it  comfort  his  own  soul!  He 
would  no  longer  groan  under  a  spirit  of  bondage  ; 
no,  he  would  be  brought  into  the  glorious  liberty 
of  the  children  of  God."*  At  this  time  it  is  evi- 
dent Mr.  Hervey  was  seeking  salvation,  but  he 
sought  it  as  it  were  by  the  works  of  the  law.  One 
of  his  leading  errors  then  was,  that  he  formed  low, 
scanty,  inadequate  apprehensions  of  the  law  of 
God;  from  this  unavoidably  followed  a  disesteem 
of  imputed  righteousness,  a  conceit  of  personal 

*  Whitefield's  Collection  of  Letters,  Let.  100,  dated 
1739.  Mr.  Hervey  seems  to  have  been  peculiarly  endeared 
to  this  good  man :  in  an  after  period,  Mr.  Whitefield  says 
of  him,  "  The  author  of  the  Meditations  is  my  old  friend ; 
a  most  heavenly-minded  creature,  who  is  contented  vi'ith 
a  small  pittance,  and  gives  all  that  he  has  to  the  poor." 


REV.  JAMES  HERVEY. 


11 


qualifications,  a  spirit  of  legal  bondage,  and  a  tinc- 
ture of  Pharisaical  pride.  He  conceived  faith  to 
be  no  more  than  a  mere  believing  of  promises  if  he 
did  well,  and  of  threatenings  if  he  did  ill.  He 
wished  for  a  salvation  to  be  bestowed  upon  some 
sincere,  pious,  and  worthy  person,  and  was  dis- 
tressed because  he  could  not  find  himself  of  that 
number.  To  use  his  own  words,  when  he  felt  he 
was  deplorably  deficient  in  duty,  he  would  comfort 
himself  with  saying,  "  Soul,  thy  God  only  requires 
sincere  obedience,  and  perhaps  to-morrow  may  be 
more  abundant  in  acts  of  holiness."  When  over- 
come by  sin,  he  would  call  to  mind  his  righteous 
deeds,  and  so  think  to  commute  with  divine  justice, 
and  quit  scores  for  his  oflences  by  his  duties.  In 
order  to  be  reconciled  to  God,  or  to  ease  his  con- 
science, he  would  promise  stricter  watchfulness, 
more  alms,  and  renewed  fastings:  overlooking  en- 
tirely the  active  obedience  of  our  Redeemer,  he 
fondly  imagined  that,  through  the  death  of  Christ, 
he  might  have  pardon  of  his  sins,  and  could,  by 
his  own  doings,  secure  eternal  life. 

For  some  time,  letters  from  the  above  correspon- 
dent were  disregarded,  or  treated  with  a  stubborn 
silence;  but  at  length,  by  these  and  other  means, 
a  saving  change  took  place  in  Mr.  Hervey.  He 
says,  "  The  two  great  commandments.  Thou  shalt 
love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  and  thou 
shalt  love  thy  neighbour  as  thyself,  made  the  first 
awakening  impression  on  my  heart.  Amazing! 
thought  I;  are  these  commands  of  God  as  obliga- 
tory as  the  prohibition  of  adultery,  or  the  observa- 
tion of  the  Sabbath?  Then  has  my  whole  life  been 
a  continued  act  of  disobedience;  not  a  day,  nor  an 
hour,  in  which  I  have  performed  my  duty.  This 
conviction,"  says  he,  "  struck  me  as  the  hand- 
writing upon  the  wall  struck  the  presumptuous  mo- 


12 


LIFE  OF 


narch.  It  pursued  me,  as  Saul  pursued  the  Chris- 
tians, not  only  to  my  own  house,  but  to  distant 
cities,  nor  ever  gave  up  the  great  controversy,  till, 
under  the  influences  of  the  Spirit,  it  brought  me 
weary  and  heavy  laden  to  Jesus  Clirisl."  God, 
who  commanded  the  light  to  shine  out  of  darkness, 
shined  into  his  heart,  to  give  him  the  light  of  the 
knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Jesus 
Christ. 

This  illumination  of  his  mind  was  not  that  clear 
but  inefficacious  apprehension  of  evangelical  truth, 
in  which,  as  in  the  moonshine  of  a  frosty  night, 
much  may  be  seen  but  nothing  grows;  it  was 
like  that  produced  by  the  sun's  light,  warm  and 
fructifying.  Under  this  illumination  he  saw,  that 
any  sinner,  whatsoever  he  be,  has  sufficient  war- 
rant immediately  to  believe  in,  or  depend  on,  Jesus 
Christ  for  everlasting  life.  Under  the  influence  of 
divine  grace,  he  believed  the  truth  of  the  report, 
and  the  sufficiency  of  Christ  alone:  he  believed 
the  divine  encouragement,  that  he  should  be  saved 
in  this  way:  he  trusted  with  confidence  his  ever- 
lasting concerns  on  the  person,  finished  work,  and 
grace  of  Christ.  Accordingly,  in  this  sense,  and 
in  this  sense  only,  he  pleads,  in  his  writings,  for 
a  particular  application  of  Jesus  and  his  fulness, 
offered  to  sinners  in  general  and  indefinite  terms. 
In  this  sense  he  uses  the  terms  "  for  me,  in  my 
stead,"  as  respecting  the  obedience  and  death  of 
Christ.  Neither  in  his  books,  nor  in  his  expe- 
rience, did  he  consider  his  trust  as  in  the  least  en- 
titling him  to  everlasting  life ;  but  he  considered 
rather  that  he  had  a  Saviour  and  everlasting  life 
given  to  him,  as  a  sinner,  to  trust  and  depend  upon. 
He  did  not  wish  to  work  himself  up  to  this  trust  or 
confidence,  as  the  condition  of  being  saved;  but 
considered  that  he  had  a  sure  foundation,  whereon 


HBV,   JAMES  HEEVEY. 


13 


he  might  constantly  depend  for  salvation,  without 
fear  of  disappointment,  by  this  assured  faith. 

He  by  no  means  set  aside  holiness  of  heart  and 
life,  as  has  been  alleged;  so  far  from  it,  that  he  re- 
lied on  Jesus  for  this  precious  gift,  and  esteemed 
him  as  made  of  God  to  him,  sanctification.  Un- 
der the  influence  of  this  assured  confidence,  he 
sought  to  be  renewed  in  his  whole  man  after  the 
pattern  of  Christ;  and  coveted  earnestly  to  have 
the  same  mind  in  him  as  was  in  his  Saviour  and 
Master. 

At  this  change  Mr.  Hervey's  religious  friends  re- 
joiced, and  none  more  than  Mr.  Whitefield.  He 
says  to  a  friend,  "The  prospect  is  promising; 
many  students  at  Oxford  are  earnestly  learning 
Christ. — Dear  Mr.  Hervey,  whose  loving  and  ca- 
tholic heart  you  know,  hath  learned  and  preached 
Christ." 

We  are  happy  to  give,  in  Mr.  Hervey's  own 
words,  a  particular  account  of  the  change  of  his 
views  and  heart  into  a  most  scriptural  and  evangeli- 
cal mould.  In  a  letter  to  Mr.  Whitefield  on  this 
subject,  he  says,  "  I  own,  with  shame  and  sorrow, 
that  I  have  been  a  blind  leader  of  the  blind;  my 
tongue  and  my  pen  have  perverted  the  good  ways 
of  the  Lord,  and  have  darkened  the  glory  of  re- 
deeming merit  and  sovereign  grace.  I  have  dared 
to  invade  the  glories  of  an  all-sufficient  Saviour, 
and  to  pluck  the  crown  off  his  head.  My  writings 
and  discourses  have  derogated  from  the  honours, 
the  everlasting  and  incommunicable  honours,  of 
Jesus;  they  presumed  to  give  works  a  share  in  the 
redemption  and  recovery  of  a  lost  sinner;  they 
have  placed  these  filthy  rags  upon  the  throne  of 
the  Lamb,  and  by  that  means  have  debased  the 
Saviour,  and  exalted  the  sinner.  But  I  trust  the 
divine  truth  begins  to  dawn  upon  the  soul.  O  may 


14 


LIFE  OF 


it,  like  tlie  rising  sun,  shine  more  and  more,  till 
the  day  break  in  all  its  brightness,  and  the  shadows 
flee  away!  Now,  was  I  possessed  of  all  the  right- 
eous acts  that  have  made  saints  and  martyrs  famous 
in  all  generations;  could  they  be  transferred  to  me, 
and  might  I  call  them  all  my  own,  I  would  re- 
nounce them  all  that  I  might  win  Christ.  I  would 
not  dare  to  appear  before  the  burning  eye  of  God 
with  such  straw  and  stubble ;  no,  I  would  long  to 
be  clothed  in  a  Mediator's  righteousness,  and  as- 
cribe all  my  salvation  to  the  most  unmerited  and 
freest  grace." 

In  another  letter  to  the  same  person  he  writes — 
"  You  are  pleased  to  ask,  how  the  Holy  Ghost 
convinced  me  of  self-righteousness,  and  drove  me 
out  of  my  false  rest?  Indeed,  Sir,  I  cannot  tell; 
the  light  was  not  instantaneous,  but  gradual ;  it 
did  not  flash  upon  my  soul,  but  arose  like  the 
dawning  of  the  day.  A  little  book,  by  Jenks, 
upon  Submission  to  the  Righteousness  of  God,  was 
made  serviceable  to  me.  Your  journals.  Dear  Sir, 
and  sermons,  especially  that  sweet  sermon  upon 
"  What  think  ye  of  Christ?"  were  a  means  of 
bringing  me  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth;  and 
another  piece  has  been  also  very  precious  eye-salve 
to  my  dim  and  clouded  understanding,  I  mean 
"  Marshall's  Gospel  Mystery  of  Sanctification." 
These,  blessed  be  He  who  is  a  light  to  them  that 
sit  in  darkness !  have  in  some  degree  convinced 
me  of  my  former  errors.  I  now  begin  to  see  I 
have  been  labouring  in  the  fire,  and  wearying  my- 
self for  very  vanity,  while  I  have  attempted  to  esta- 
blish my  own  righteousness.  I  trusted  I  knew 
not  what,  while  I  have  trusted  in  some  imaginary 
good  deeds  of  my  own;  these  are  no  hiding-place 
from  the  storm,  they  are  a  refuge  of  lies.  If  I  had 
the  meekness  of  Moses,  and  the  patience  of  Job, 


REV.    JAMES  HERVEY. 


15 


the  zeal  of  Paul,  and  the  love  of  John,  I  durst  not 
advance  the  least  plea  to  eternal  life  on  this  footing: 
but  as  for  my  own  beggarly  performances  and 
wretched  righteousness,  O  gracious,  adorable  Em- 
manuel, I  am  ashamed,  I  am  grieved,  that  I  should 
thrust  them  into  the  place  of  thy  divine,  thy  incon- 
ceivably precious  obedience  !  My  schemes  are  al- 
tered; I  now  desire  to  work  in  my  blessed  Master's 
service,  not  for,  but  from,  life  and  salvation.  1 
would  study  to  please  him  in  righteousness  and  ho- 
liness all  the  days  of  my  life.  I  seek  this  blessing 
of  holiness,  not  as  a  condition,  but  as  a  part,  a 
choice  and  inestimable  part,  of  that  complete  sal- 
vation which  Jesus  hath  purchased  for  me." 

Formerly,  through  his  ignorance  of  the  gospel, 
and  the  legal  temper  of  his  mind,  he  had  discarded 
the  active  obedience  of  Christ,  now  he  believed 
this  glorious  doctrine,  and  rested  on  it  as  a  most 
invaluable  privilege.  So  he  says,  "  My  faith  is, 
that  our  Jjord's  obedience  to  the  moral  law,  in  pro- 
fessed submission  to  its  authority,  and  in  exact  con- 
formity to  its  precepts;  his  performance  of  all  holy 
duties,  and  his  exercise  of  all  heavenly  graces ;  that 
all  this  is  a  most  essential  and  distinguished  part  of 
his  merit;  that  this  is  of  higiier  dignity  and  greater 
value  than  the  whole  world,  and  all  the  rigliteous- 
ness  in  it;  that  the  divine  law  is  hereby  more  sig- 
nally honoured,  than  it  could  have  been  honoured 
by  the  uninterrupted  obedience  of  Adam  and  all 
his  posterity;  that  God's  justice,  holiness  and  truth, 
receive  greater  glory  from  these  unparalleled  acts  of 
duty,  than  from  the  services  of  angels  and  men,  in 
their  several  wonderful  orders;  that  this  active 
righteousness,  together  with  his  most  meritorious 
sufferings,  are  the  ground  and  cause  of  my  accept- 
ance with  God,  are  the  very  thing  which  procures 
and  effects  my  justification,  making  me  not  barely 


16 


LIFE  OP 


acquitted  from  guilt,  but  truly  righteous,  yea,  per- 
fectly righteous,  and  that  before  the  God  of  infinite 
penetration  and  purity."  This  view  of  things,  he 
says,  was  to  him  incomparably  magnificent,  and 
inexpressibly  comfortable. 

Mr.  Hervey  found  it  a  hard  task  for  such  a  mind 
as  his,  long  and  eminently  leavened  with  ignorance 
and  legal  pride,  to  come  to  Christ  divested  of  every 
recommendation  but  that  of  extreme  wretchedness, 
to  receive  from  the  hand  of  unmerited  benignity 
the  free  riches  of  evangelical  grace.  On  this  sub- 
ject he  would  relate  and  apply  the  following  anec- 
dote of  Dr.  Cheyne,  an  English  physician;  to  one 
consulting  him  about  the  recovery  of  his  health, 
the  Doctor  replied,  "  You  are  not  bad  enough  for 
me."  As  none  but  the  deeply  disordered  would 
submit  to  Cheyne's  mortifying  prescriptions,  in  like 
manner  Mr.  Hervey  found  that  none  but  the  weary 
and  heavy  laden  would  come  to  Jehovah  our  right- 
eousness, or  relish  the  doctrine  of  grace,  which  re- 
presents the  Redeemer  as  the  meridian  sun,  and  all 
the  sons  of  Adam  as  glow-worms  of  the  night. 

In  the  light  of  the  glory  of  God,  he  now  viewed 
the  gospel  as  a  choice  blessing,  setting  an  open 
door,  not  for  believers  to  come  up  to  a  certain  stan- 
dard, but  for  sinners  to  trust  in  the  Lord  Jesus  im- 
mediately, without  waiting  for  any  distinguishing 
reason  in  themselves.  He  now  saw,  that  no  con- 
ditions or  performances  are  to  be  placed  between 
the  sinner  and  the  Saviour ;  but  the  first  step  of 
practical  religion  is  to  trust  Christ  alone,  as  given 
us  in  the  word  of  grace. 

These  views,  attended  with  Almighty  grace, 
brought  down  in  him  every  high  thing  that  exalted 
itself  against  the  knowledge  of  God,  and  brought 
into  captivity  every  thought  to  the  obedience  of 
Christ. 


REV.   JAMES  HERVEY. 


17 


This  remarkable  change  appeared  in  his  ser- 
mons. Empty  legal  harangues  no  longer  disgraced 
his  pulpit.  He  now  discoursed  of  grace  reigning, 
through  righteousness,  unto  an  eternal  life  of  holi- 
ness and  happiness.  This  he  did  at  first  more 
darkly;  but  afterwards  with  greater  clearness,  in 
proportion  to  his  growing  knowledge  and  experi- 
ence of  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus. 

Then  he  began  to  be  a  true  evangelical  preacher. 
Christ  crucified,  the  foundation  of  the  sinner's 
hope ;  Clirist  on  the  throne,  the  lawgiver  of  the 
redeemed;  Christ,  by  his  word  and  Spirit  in  the 
heart,  the  believer's  life;  Christ  in  glory,  the  eleva- 
ting object  of  the  saint's  expectation  and  desire; 
these,  and  the  subjects  connected  with  them  in  the 
plan  of  redemption,  were  now  his  loved  and  chosen 
themes.  His  sermons,  under  the  divine  blessing, 
made  the  grace  of  God  sweet,  salvation  through 
Christ  acceptable,  sin  hateful,  and  strict  holiness 
amiable,  to  the  souls  of  his  people. 

To  his  good  friend  Whitefield,  who  used  every 
proper  method  he  could  think  of  to  change  his 
views,  and  whose  letters  he  once  refused  to  answer, 
he  now  wrote:  "Dear  Sir,  cease  not  to  pray  for 
me,  desist  not  to  counsel  me,  since  I  perceive  you 
cannot  forbear  to  love  me."  After  this  change,  he 
made  heart  religion  his  business  through  life.  In 
a  letter  to  a  friend  he  has  these  words  : — "  What  I 
wrote  concerning  a  firm  faith  in  God's  most  pre- 
cious promises,  a  humble  trust  that  we  are  the  ob- 
jects of  his  tender  love,  is  what  I  desire  to  feel, 
rather  than  what  I  experience;  tliey  are  considera- 
tions with  which  I  would  ply  my  heart,  in  the  hope 
that  they  may  be  the  happy  means  of  making  me 
strong  in  faith,  and  enable  me  thereby  to  give  glory 
to  God.  All  my  aim,  all  my  desire  is,  to  quicken 
in  my  heart  the  seeds  of  practical  faith  and  vital 
2 


18 


LIFE  OF 


holiness.  I  will,  on  your  encouragement,  go  on 
with  niy  book,  in  my  slow  way,  happy  if  my  own 
heart  may  be  impressed  with  the  evangelical  truths, 
even  though  tliey  should  reach,  as  handled  by  tliis 
pen,  no  further.  That  comfortable  Scripture  has 
been  oflen-times  a  cordial  to  my  heart,  The  Lord 
delighteth  in  them  that  fear  him,  and  put  their  trust 
in  his  mercy.  How  often  have  I  read,  that  to 
make  me  rich,  the  Lord  of  all  things  had  not  where 
to  lay  his  head!  To  obtain  joy  and  gladness  for 
me,  the  Prince  of  peace  was  sorrowful,  sorrowful 
even  unto  death !  To  cleanse  me  from  all  guilt,  to 
present  me  without  spot  or  blemish  before  the 
throne,  the  everlasting  Son  of  God  was  content  to 
spill  the  last  drop  of  his  blood !  How  often  have  I 
read  all  this,  and  yet  continued  unaffected  and  stu- 
pidly insensible  !  May  my  heart  be  smitten  with 
remorse,  and  overwhelmed  with  shame,  for  my  vile, 
vile  ingratitude,  to  so  divinely  compassionate  a  Sa- 
viour; and  so  much  the  more,  as  1  am  assured  of 
his  readiness  to  forgive  all  my  provocations,  and 
to  love  me  as  freely  as  if  I  had  never  sinned." 

When  he  received  letters,  which  he  thought 
would  flatter  the  vanity  of  his  mind,  he  would  not 
look  at  them  a  second  time.  The  same  disposition 
of  mind  will  appear  in  the  following  extract; — 
"  I  am  so  far  from  carrying  on  my  versifying  de- 
signs, that  I  heartily  wish  I  had  never  conceived 
any;  that  those  lines  I  sent  to  —  had  never  been 
made,  or  I  had  never  heard  them  commended. 
Pride  and  vanity  are  foolish  and  unreasonable  in 
dust  and  ashes,  and,  what  is  worse,  odious  and  de- 
testable before  infinite  perfection  and  infinite  power, 
Oh !  let  you  and  I  then  dread  whatever  may  ad- 
minister fuel  to  these  worst  of  tempers,  more  than 
the  poison  of  asps,  or  the  pestilence  that  walketh 
in  darkness.  Let  us  pray  against  seeking,  desiring. 


REV.   JAMES  HERVEY. 


19 


or  taking  pleasure  in  tlie  honour  that  cometh  of 
men;  and  if,  at  any  time,  the  flattering  tongue, 
that  snare  of  death,  shall  overtake  us,  let  us  in- 
stantly fly  to  our  Saviour,  and  complain  unto  our 
God  ;  then  let  us  remember,  and  remembering  let 
us  acknowledge,  that  we  are  nothing,  have  nothing, 
and  deserve  nothing,  but  shame  and  contempt,  but 
misery  and  punishment." 

He  also  evidenced  a  detestation  of  every  thing 
that  he  thought  tended  to  pollute  the  heart.  So  he 
writes  of  the  author  of  "  The  Fairy  Queen,"  in  the 
following  terms: — "He  is,  in  fancy,  superior  to 
every  poet,  yet  so  luscious  in  some  of  his  represen- 
tations, I  have  occasionally  dipped  into,  that  it  is 
impossible,  for  me  at  least,  to  advert  to  them  with- 
out catching  the  infection.  His  pictures  of  this 
sort  are  drawn  with  a  good  design ;  he  makes  his 
heroes  victors  over  the  soft  allurements  ;  but  I  be- 
lieve few  minds  are  so  case-hardened  against  sen- 
sual pleasures,  as  not  to  receive  disadvantageous 
impressions.  I  am  therefore  determined  never  to 
look  into  it  again,  never  to  gather  the  honey  of 
poetry  from  the  briers  of  contamination.  '  Flee 
temptation,'  is  the  advice  of  an  inspired  apostle, 
and  I  will  pay  the  due  respect  to  it." 

He  also  seems  to  have  kept  a  diary,  wherein  he 
minuted  down  his  sins  of  omission  and  commis- 
sion, took  notice  of  the  manner  in  which  his  time 
was  spent,  of  the  strain  of  his  discourse,  and  of  the 
frame  of  his  heart  in  religious  duties.  These  inte- 
resting memoirs  he  often  reviewed.  This  method 
of  keeping  a  diary  he  found  the  means  of  teaching 
him  the  knowledge  of  himself,  and  of  disposing 
him  to  prayer,  and  other  duties. 

After  this  change  of  his  sentiments  and  heart, 
Mr.  Hervey  met  with  a  considerable  share  of  re-  , 
proach,  but  was  encouraged  by  the  Master  he 


20 


LIFE  OP 


served,  and  by  the  friends  to  the  same  cause  of 
grace  and  holiness. 

After  Mr.  Hervey's  change  of  sentiment,  he  was 
earnestly  importuned  by  some  friends,  particularly 
by  Mr.  Whitefield, to  become  an  itinerant;  besides 
many  solicitations  to  himself,  Mr.  W.,  knowing 
that  the  success  of  the  gospel  was  the  joy  of  Mr. 
Hervey's  heart,  writes  to  a  mutual  friend — "  I  have 
been  in  eight  Welsh  counties;  I  think  we  have 
not  had  one  dry  meeting.  Had  my  dear  Mr.  Her- 
vey  been  there  to  have  seen  the  simplicity  of  so 
many  dear  saints,  I  am  persuaded  he  would  have 
said,  'Let  my  soul  be  with  the  Methodists.'"  The 
weakness  of  Mr.  Hervey's  constitution,  and,  per- 
haps, other  considerations,  prevented  his  falling  in 
with  the  above  proposal.  His  principal  talent 
seems  to  have  consisted  in  study  and  writing;  this 
he  employed  to  good  purpose ;  in  the  mean  time, 
he  gave  abundant  encouragement  to  those  of  his 
friends  who  were  engaged  in  itinerant  services. 

At  the  time  when  Mr.  Hervey  was  called  to  the 
knowledge  of  the  truth,  it  was  much  under  a  veil 
in  the  church  whereof  he  was  a  member.  To  use 
the  words  of  one  of  her  sons — "  At  that  time,  a 
minister  of  the  Church  of  England,  who  ventured  to 
maintain  her  articles  and  homilies  in  doctrine,  and 
who  supported  them  in  fact  by  a  holy  practice,  was 
a  kind  of  prodigy,  and  met  with  nothing  but  cen- 
sure, persecution,  and  hard  names,  from  all  ranks 
and  sorts  of  men.  Our  pulpits  resounded  with 
morality,  deduced  from  the  principles  of  nature, 
and  the  fitness  of  things,  with  no  relation  to  Christ 
or  the  Holy  Ghost;  all  which  the  heathen  philoso- 
phers have  insisted  on,  and  with  perhaps  more  than 
modern  ingenuity,  and  in  consequence  of  this  our 
streets  have  resounded  with  heathen  immorality." 

The  same  was  the  case  with  many  among  the 


REV.   JAMES  HERVEY. 


21 


dissenters.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Barker,  in  a  letter  to  Dr. 
Doddridge,  says,  The  defection  of  our  younger 
ministers  I  greatly  lament:  the  dissenting  interest 
is  not  like  itself;  I  hardly  know  it.  I  knew  the 
time  when  I  had  no  doubt  into  whatever  place 
among  dissenters  I  went,  but  that  my  heart  would 
be  warmed  and  comforted,  and  my  edification  pro- 
moted ;  now  I  hear  prayers  and  sermons  which  I 
neither  relish  nor  understand.  Evangelical  truth 
and  duty  are  quite  old  fashioned ;  from  many  pul- 
pits one's  ears  are  so  dinned  with  reason,  the  great 
law  of  reason,  the  eternal  law  of  reason,  that  it  is 
enough  to  put  one  out  of  conceit  with  the  chief 
excellency  of  our  nature,  because  it  is  idolized, 
and  even  deified."  In  this  unhappy  time,  Mr. 
Hervey,  with  some  other  excellent  men,  were 
raised  up  to  explain  and  defend  the  genuine  gos- 
pel. It  is  also  remarkable,  that  some  years  before, 
the  same  doctrine  had  been  revived  in  Scotland  by 
occasion  of  a  controversy  about  a  book,  entitled, 
"  The  Marrow  of  Modern  Divinity,"  and  by  the 
excellent  sermons  and  writings  of  Messrs.  Boston, 
Erskines,  &c.  These  found  their  way  into  Eng- 
land, and  were  eminently  useful  to  Mr.  Hervey, 
while  his  works  have  been  greatly  blessed  for  pro- 
moting the  interests  of  evangelical  truth  both  in 
England  and  Scotland. 


HIS  RELIGIOUS  PRINCIPLES. 

To  promote  faith  and  holiness,  was,  next  to  the 
glory  of  God,  the  great  end  of  Mr.  Ilervey's  min- 
istrations. Of  the  nature  of  both,  he  entertained 
the  most  just  views.  In  his  view,  all  revealed 
truth  ought  to  be  highly  valued  and  believed;  but 
he  judged,  that  the  special  subject  of  the  gospel 
was  Christ;  and  that  preaching  Christ,  according 


22 


LIFE  OF 


to  the  direction  of  tlie  word  of  God,  was  preaching 
the  gospel.  To  exhibit  Christ,  our  Saviour  and 
our  Lord,  made  of  God  to  sinful  men,  wisdom, 
righteousness,  sanctification,  and  redemption,  was 
with  Mr.  Ilervey  the  sum  of  the  gospel.  He  ap- 
prehended gospel  declarations  were  made  in  a  form 
that  warrants  every  person,  merely  in  the  character 
of  a  guilty  undone  sinner,  to  depend  on  Christ  alone 
for  complete  salvation,  and  to  rest  assured,  that  a 
gracious,  faithful  God,  will  be  to  him,  and  do  to 
him,  all  that  is  imported  in  these  general  declara- 
tions, which  testify  the  grace  of  God  unto  mankind, 
as  sinners,  of  whom  he  is  one.  He  also  considered, 
that  these  declarations  do  not  only  constitute  a  sin- 
ner's warrant  to  possess  the  Saviour  and  eternal 
life,  but  oblige  him,  as  his  bounden  duty,  to  judge 
them  faithful  sayings,  and  to  depend  upon  them,  as 
the  sufficient,  the  only  ground  of  his  sure  and  un- 
deceiving hope. 

The  definition  of  faith,  given  in  Tlieron  and 
Aspasio,  Let.  10,  Mr.  Hervey  apprehended  might, 
at  first  view,  dissatisfy  and  alarm  even  some  pious 
people,  including,  as  they  apprehended,  too  great  a 
degree  of  assurance:  But,  says  he,  "  If  ihey  please 
to  take  it  in  connection  with  the  explanation  and 
adjustment,  delivered  in  the  16th  Dialogue,  I  hope 
all  cause  of  disapprobation  or  surprise  will  vanish. 
I  flatter  myself,  that  the  sentiment  will  be  found, 
not  only  comfortable  to  the  sinner,  but  agreeable  to 
Scripture,  and  truly  unexceptionable,  as  well  as 
highly  desirable."  He  further  says,  "  Christ  died 
for  me,  seems  lo  be  the  faith  preaclied  and  taught 
by  the  apostles."  "The  life  I  live  in  the  flesh,  the 
life  of  holiness,  usefulness,  and  comfort,  I  live  by 
the  faith  of  the  Son  of  God."  What  this  faith  is, 
he  explains  in  the  next  sentence.  "By  viewing 
the  Son  of  God  as  loving  me,  and  giving  himself 


REV.   JAMES  HERVEY. 


23 


for  me."  In  another  private  letter,  writing  of  the 
'I'hessaloniaus  receiving  the  gospel,  he  remarks : 
"  Receiving  the  gospel — What  is  meant  by  that 
expression?  Believing  that  the  apostles  were  no 
impostors,  that  Christ  was  the  true  Messiah  ?  This, 
and  abundantly  more,  I  apprehend,  it  implies;  that 
Christ  died,  not  for  sins  only  in  general,  but  for 
our  sins  in  particular:  that  he  bore  all  their  in- 
iquities, in  his  own  bleeding  body  and  agonizing 
soul,  on  the  accursed  tree:  that  all  their  crimes  be- 
ing fully  expiated,  the  most  rigorous  justice  would 
not  demand  double  payment;  and,  consequently, 
that  there  remaineth  no  condemnation  for  them.* 
This  is  the  glad  tidings,  to  which  they  not  only  at- 
tended, and  assented  with  a  speculative  assent,  but 
with  a  personal  application  of  it,  each  to  his  own 
particular  case.  1  shall  subjoin  further  on  this 
head,  (says  Mr,  Hervey,)  what  I  take  to  be  a  very 
accurate  explication  of  the  apostle's  celebrated  defi- 
nition of  faith.  '  Faith  is  the  substance  of  things 
hoped  for,  and  the  evidence  of  things  not  seen;' 
that  is,  putting  us  into  a  kind  of  present  possession 
of  the  promises,  and  setting  divine  grace  before  the 
mind,  in  all  the  light  and  power  of  demonstration." 

*  The  above  sentiment,  which  Mr.  Hervey  had  bor- 
rowed from  the  writings  of  the  Keforraers,  and  afterwards 
qualified  in  his  last  amendments,  is  expressed  by  the  ju- 
dicious Boston,  and  otiier  modern  divines,  in  the  following 
words: — "The  gospel  is  the  report  of  a  crucified  Christ, 
made  over  to  sinners,  as  the  device  of  heaven  for  tlieir  sal- 
vation. It  is  proclaimed  by  the  authority  of  heaven,  that 
Christ  has  died,  and  by  his  death  purchased  life  and  salva- 
tion for  lost  children  of  Adam,  and  that  they,  and  every 
one  of  them,  may  have  free  access  to  him.  Faith  trusting 
this  report  as  true  and  good,  the  soul  concludes  "  the  Sa- 
viour is  mine,"  and  leans  on  him  for  all  the  purchase  of 
his  death,  for  life  and  salvation  to  itself  in  particular." — 
Boston's  Sermons  on  Isa.  liii  1. 


24 


LIFE  OF 


He  always  acknowledged  that  those  to  whom  the 
gospel  is  made  effectual,  believe  the  truth  of  this 
report,  and  of  the  sufficiency  of  Christ  alone,  be- 
fore there  can  be  any  acts  of  receiving  or  appro- 
priating; but  he  viewed  the  idea  of  appropriation 
as  entering  into  the  nature  of  faith,  and  says  of  it, 
"  To  appropriate,  in  the  theological  sense,  is  to 
take  home  the  grace  of  God,  which  lies  in  the 
common  indefinite  grant  of  the  gospel.  Is  Christ 
the  treasure  hid  in  the  field?  To  appropriate  this 
treasure,  is  to  receive  and  use  it  as  our  ovi^n  por- 
tion. Is  Christ  the  balm  of  Gilead,  full  of  saving 
health?  To  appropriate  this  balm,  is  to  take  and 
apply  it  for  the  recovery  of  our  own  souls ;  and 
"without  such  an  appropriation,  how  can  we  be  en- 
riched by  the  former,  or  healed  by  the  latter?" 

He  also  apprehended,  that  a  believer,  in  the  ex- 
ercise of  faith,  believes  something  with  reference 
to  his  own  salvation,  upon  the  ground  of  God's 
faithfulness  in  the  promise,  which  is,  that  now 
Christ  is  and  will  be  a  Saviour  to  him;  that  what- 
soever he  did  for  the  redemption  of  mankind,  he 
did  it  for  him ;  and  that  he  shall  have  eternal  life 
by  him.  Tliis  appropriation,  he  apprehended  not 
to  arise  from  any  supposition  that  God  hath  chosen 
us  to  salvation,  or  that  Christ  died  with  a  design  to 
redeem  us,  or  as  grounded  on  any  marks  and  evi- 
dences of  a  gracious  work  within  us,  nor  that  it  im- 
plied a  persuasion  that  we  are  at  the  time  in  actual 
possession  of  Christ  and  salvation.  But  the  appro- 
priation Mr.  Hervey  contended  for,  was  one  entirely 
founded  upon  the  record  of  God;  an  echo  to  the  di- 
vine testimony;  a  persuasion  that  God  really  giveth 
us,  in  particular,  sufficient  and  desirable  salvation, 
to  be  enjoyed  in  Christ;  and  that,  viewing  it  in 
this  light,  we  believe  in  God,  that  it  shall  be  to  us 
guilty  sinners,  even  as  it  is  told  us  in  these  decla- 


REV.   JAMES  HEBVEY. 


25 


rations  which  reveal  divine  favour  to  the  ungodly. 
To  this  purpose,  also,  is  the  following  note  ap- 
pended to  Theron  and  Aspasio: — "We  no  where 
suppose,  that  a  freedom  from  all  fears,  or  a  superi- 
ority to  all  doubts,  is  included  in  the  nature  of  faith ; 
we  only  affirm,  that  an  appropriating  persuasion  of 
salvation,  by  Christ  alone,  is  that  confidence  which 
properly  answers  to  the  divine  report  and  grant  of 
a  Saviour,  to  be  believed  on  for  life  everlasting. 
This  persuasion  or  assurance  may  be  incumbered  , 
with  doubts,  and  may  conflict  with  fears;  but  still 
it  is  assurance,  real  assurance,  and  proves  itself  to 
be  such,  by  opposing  and  struggling  with  the  con- 
trary principle."  He  illustrates  this  by  a  pleasing 
similitude: — "In  some  fruitful  family,  you  may 
see  one  child  in  the  leading  strings,  another  able  to 
walk  by  itself,  a  third  come  home  from  the  school 
of  literature :  observe  their  speech ;  one  lisps  a  few 
broken  sentences,  another  talks  intelligibly,  but 
very  incorrectly ;  the  last  has  learned  to  express 
himself  with  tolerable  propriety ;  yet  each  speaks 
the  same  language,  notwithstanding  the  various 
degrees  of  fluency  in  their  utterance  or  propriety 
of  diction.  So  faith  always  speaks  one  and  the 
same  uniform  language,  whether  she  lisps  or  stam- 
mers; whether  she  whispers  in  faint  accents,  or 
raises  her  voice  in  a  more  manly  tone,  this  is  still 
the  import  of  her  speech,  '  God,  even  our  God, 
v/ill  give  us  his  blessing.'  " 

Mr.  Hervey  viewing  faith  as  being  founded  in 
the  self-evidencing  light  of  the  word,  as  being  the 
effect  of  the  demonstration  of  the  Spirit,  and  in  its 
very  nature  implying  an  assurance  of  the  divine  all- 
sufficiency  and  grace,  apprehended  that  it  gave 
the  soul  a  conscious  enjoyment  of  the  Saviour,  and 
that  it  was  the  best  means  of  knowing  our  actual 
interest  in  him,  and  that  we  are  under  no  delusion- 
3 


26 


LIFE  OF 


He  thought,  with  other  evangelical  divines,  that  so 
far  as  a  believer  is  in  the  exercise  of  this  direct  and 
assured  faith,  under  the  influence  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  he  needeth  not  the  support  of  other  marks 
and  evidences  of  grace  within  himself,  because  his 
mind  rests  entirely  and  quietly  in  the  divine  all-suf- 
ficiency, grace,  and  faithfulness ;  and  this  he  reckon- 
ed the  most  desirable  way  to  keep  all  other  marks 
and  evidences  of  a  gracious  state  clear  and  distinct. 
To  use  his  own  words;  "As  faith  is  such  a  per- 
suasion of  the  heart,  and  such  a  reception  of  Christ 
(as  above  described,)  it  assures  the  soul  of  salvation 
by  its  own  act,  antecedent  to  all  reflection  on  its 
fruits  and  eff"ects,  or  works  and  evidences.    It  as- 
sures the  soul  of  acquittance  from  guilt,  and  of 
reconciliation  to  Christ;  of  a  title  to  the  everlasting 
inheritance,  and  of  grace  sufiicient  for  every  case  of 
need."    He  was  happy  that  his  sentiments  of  the 
appropriation  of  faith  were  not  only  scriptural,  but 
confirmed  by  a  multitude  of  eminent  witnesses. 
"If  the  reader,"  says  he,  "  inquire  after  theirnames, 
he  will  find  some  of  them  enumerated  in  the  fol- 
lowing catalogue: — Luther,  Calvin,  Melancthon, 
Beza,  Bullinger,  Bucer,  Knox,  Craig,  Melvil,  Bruce, 
Davidson,  Forbes,  &c.  Ursinus,  Zanchius,  Junius, 
Piscator,  Rollock,  Wendelinus,  Chamierus,  Bodius, 
Pareus,  Altingius,  the  Triglandii,  Arnoldus,  Mare- 
sius,  WoUebius,  Heideggerus,  Essenius,  Turreti- 
nus,  Witsius,  (fee.    Also  many  British  divines; 
among  others,  Perkins,  Pemble,  Willet,  Gouge, 
Rogers,  Owen,  and  Marshall."    He  further  adds, 
"  If  we  were  apparenfly  and  demonstratively  in  an 
error,  yet,  to  err  with  such  company,  and  in  the 
footsteps  of  such  guides,  must  very  much  tend  to 
mitigate  the  severity  of  censure.    But  I  believe  few 
serious  persons  will  venture  to  charge  error  and  de- 
lusion upon  such  a  venerable  body  of  Protestant 


KEV.     JAMES  HERVET. 


27 


divines,  so  eminent  for  their  learning,  and  so  ex- 
emplary for  their  holiness;  whose  labours  were 
so  remarkably  owned  by  God,  and  whose  senti- 
ments, have  been  adopted  by  so  many  reformed 
churches.  The  declarations  of  the  English  and 
Palatine  churches  are  produced  in  the  Dialogue.  I 
have  in  my  hand  an  extract  from  the  confessions 
and  standard  doctrines  of  the  Church  of  Scotland — 
of  Ireland — of  France — of  Helvetia ;  with  all  which 
Aspasio  has  the  happiness  to  agree.  Only  some  of 
them  are  much  stronger  in  displaying  and  main- 
taining the  special  fiducia,  or  the  appropriating 
persuasion  of  faith."* 

*  It  would  greatly  conduce  to  clear  views  of  this  sub- 
ject, were  proper  distinctions  between  the  assurance  of  faith 
itself  and  the  assurance  of  sense  observed,  and  rightly  un- 
derstood. This  Mr.  Hervey  illustrates  in  the  close  of  Dia- 
logue 16.  When  he,  and  other  evangelical  divines,  speak 
of  assurance  as  essential  to  faith,  many  have  sup|)osed  they 
taught,  that  none  can  be  real  Christians  who  do  not  feel 
that  they  are  passed  from  death  to  life,  and  have  uncloud- 
ed views  of  their  own  interest  in  Christ,  so  as  to  say,  under 
the  manifestations  of  his  love,  '•  My  Beloved  is  mine,  and  I 
am  his ;"  but  God  forbid  we  should  thus  oft'end  against  the 
generation  of  his  children.  That  many  of  them  want  such 
an  assurance,  may  not  be  qtiestioned.  This,  however,  is 
the  assurance,  not  of  faith,  but  of  sense;  and  vastly  diC- 
ferent  they  are.  The  object  of  the  former  is  Christ  reveal- 
ed in  the  word,  the  object  of  the  latter,  is  Christ  revealed 
in  the  heart;  the  ground  of  the  former,  is  the  testimony  of 
God  without  us,  that  of  the  latter,  is  the  work  of  the  Spirit 
within  us;  the  one  embraces  the  promise,  looking  at  noth- 
ing but  the  veracity  of  the  promisor,  the  other  enjoys  the 
promise  in  the  sweetness  of  its  actual  accomplishment. 
The  question  on  the  first  point  is  this.  Is  the  scriptural  tes- 
timony true  or  not  ?  But  on  the  second  point  the  question 
is.  Am  I  possessed  of  saving  faith  in  the  divine  testimony  ? 
am  I  already  in  a  state  of  union  to  Christ?  Another  dis- 
tinction also  is  needful.  Faith  sometimes  denotes  the 
simple  belief  of  a  doctrine  or  truth  ;  at  other  times,  and 


28 


1 I F  E  OF 


This  assured  confidence  Mr.  Hervey  maintained 
more  explicitly  in  Theron  and  Aspasio  than  in  his 
former  works.  This  gave  alarm  to  several  who 
admired  his  writings,  and  some  of  them  plied  him 
close  with  various  objections.  These  objectors, 
however  undesignedly,  were  attempting  to  over- 
throw the  solid  foundation  laid  for  the  hope  and 
confidence  of  guilty  sinners.  They  contradicted  the 
divine  grant  of  Christ  and  salvation  to  sinners,  by 
clogging  it  with  pre-reqnisites  and  preparations  of 
sensibility,  of  need,  real  desire,  &c.  Finding  Mr. 
Cudworth  of  the  same  judgment  with  himself,  he 
wrote  to  him,  that  by  their  careful  and  united  con- 
sideration of  all  objections  that  had  been  offered, 
this  very  important  point  might  be  sifted,  and  more 
clearly  established.  The  effect  of  these  consulta- 
tions considerably  enriched  the  third  edition  of 
Theron  and  Aspasio,  particularly  Dial.  15  and  16, 
and  rendered  it  more  accurate.  On  this  he  says ; 
"  I  found  it  necessary  to  make  these  additions,  in 
order  to  maintain  two  very  important  points,  which 
are  opposed  by  many,  even  of  my  pious  friends  ;  I 
mean  the  assurance,  or  special  application  or  ap- 

most  frequently  in  Scripture,  trust  or  confidence  in  God,  or 
a  fiducial  reliance  upon  his  mercy  and  promise  in  Christ 
for  salvation.  It  is  evident  these  two  are  very  distinct,  and 
that  some  things  may  be  affirmed  of  faith,  taken  in  the  one 
sense,  which  cannot,  with  any  propriety,  be  ascribed  to  it 
when  it  is  talten  in  the  other.  We  trust  this  observation 
is  sufficient  to  show  the  absurdity  of  those  cavils  and  so- 
phistical  reasonings,  by  which  some  have  endeavoured  to 
throw  an  odium  on  the  doctrine  taught  by  Mr.  Ilervey  and 
many  other  celebrated  divines,  concerning  the  appropria- 
tion or  assurance  of  faith,  and  to  represent  it  as  absurd  and 
ridiculous,  as  a  faith  vvithout  any  ground:  such  it  would 
certainly  be,  if  saving  faith  never  signified  any  thing  more 
than  the  belief  of  some  doctrinal  proposition,  fact,  or  event, 
recorded  in  Scripture. 


REV.   JAMES  HEHVET. 


29 


propriation,  included  in  the  failh  of  the  operation  of 
God;  and  that  sinners,  as  sinners,  without  the  pre- 
parative or  condition  of  any  qualification,  are  allow- 
ed,, are  warranted,  thus  to  apply  Christ  to  them- 
selves, by  virtue  of  the  free  oifer  and  grant  made  in 
the  gospel.  These  two  doctrines  seem  to  me  the 
very  quintessence  of  grace,  and  the  riches  of  the 
gospel." 

In  a  letter  to  Mr.  Hervey  Mr.  Cudworth  observes, 
"  Upon  the  whole,  in  the  objections  made  to  your 
views  of  faith,  we  seem  to  be  only  on  the  old  Re- 
formation dispute  still — whether  we  are  to  be  justi- 
fied by  Christ  alone,  or  whether  we  must  first  find 
some  righteousness  in  ourselves?" 

Mr.  Kennedy  having  written  in  defence  of  these 
sentiments,  Mr.  Hervey  remarks,  "  Mr.  Kennedy 
speaks  the  very  sentiments  of  my  heart,  better  than 
my  own  tongue  could  express  them;  I  do  not  per- 
ceive a  single  sentence  to  which  I  should  make  any 
objection.  With  other  believers  in  Jesus  Christ,  I 
would  be  of  one  heart,  but  with  Mr.  Kennedy  I 
have  the  pleasure  to  be  of  one  mind."* 

Mr.  Hervey  always  considers  faith  as  connected 
with  its  object.  He  knew  that  the  Spirit  of  God, 
in  the  Scriptures,  frequently  and  fully  describes  the 
object  of  faith,  and  the  nature  of  the  testimony  to 
be  believed,  but  seldom  describes  or  defines  the  act 
of  believing;  that  it  is  the  very  nature  of  faith  to 
overlook  itself  as  an  act  altogether,  and  to  be  wholly 
employed  about  its  object;  and  that,  in  fact,  it  de- 
rives its  whole  meaning,  existence  and  use  from 
this.  On  the  object  of  faith  he  therefore  enlarges 
in  his  writings,  on  the  precious  person,  names, 
love,  undertaking,  relations,  grace,  and  laws  of  the 
Saviour;  and  on  his  various  blessings,  peace,  par- 
don, holiness,  comfort.  Sic,    So  he  says:  "  Pre- 

»  Gen.  Col.  of  Letters. 


30 


LIFE  OF 


cious  faith,  which  brings  honour  to  the  holy  name 
of  Jesus,  and  comfort  to  the  sinner's  soul;  this 
treats  him,  according  to  his  infinite  glory  and  infi- 
nite grace,  as  the  true  God,  as  the  great  God, 
as  God  over  all,  blessed  for  evermore.  This  noble 
faith  acknowledges  and  uses  him,  as  the  all-suffi- 
cient Saviour  from  the  guilt,  and  an  almighty  Sa- 
viour from  the  power  of  sin.  It  firmly  trusts, 
that  the  death  of  Jesus  has  finished  transgression, 
and  made  reconciliation  for  iniquity;  that  the  Spi- 
rit of  Christ  will  subdue  corruption,  renew  us  after 
the  image  of  God,  and  animate  us  all  to  the  duties 
of  religion."  He  also  insisted  often  on  the  war- 
rant of  faith.  Like  other  evangelical  writers,  he 
never  confounds  the  warrant  of  faitli  with  the  marks 
or  evidences  of  it.  He  always  shows,  that  while 
men  esteem  Christ  precious,  know  the  plague  of 
their  own  heart,  love  God's  commandments,  &c. 
these  evidence  them  believers;  but  that  men,  mere- 
ly as  sinful  creatures,  are  clearly  and  fully  war- 
ranted, from  God's  word,  to  receive  Christ  and  his 
benefits  by  faith.  His  views  of  this  point  were 
the  following:  "Every  word  of  God  is  undoubt- 
edly true,  and  to  be  depended  upon,  according  to 
the  declarations  thereof;  and  no  soul  can  possibly 
be  deceived  in  believing  and  so  trusting  to  it. 
The  Holy  Ghost  does  not  work  in  us  to  believe 
otherwise  than  the  word  declares,  no  more  than  he 
excites  us  to  do  otherwise  than  the  word  requires. 
This  word  declares  Christ  as  the  gift  of  God  to  the 
world,  and'invites  all  the  ends  of  the  earth  to  look 
to  him  for  salvation,  and  assures  them,  that  whoso- 
ever believes  on  him  shall  not  perish,  but  have 
everlasting  life.  This  word,  then,  sufficiently  en- 
titles, authorizes,  and  warrants  every  sinner  confi- 
dently to  trust  on  Christ  for  his  own  particular 
salvation,  by  virtue  of  God's  invitation  and  com- 


REV.   JAHES  HERVET. 


31 


mand ;  and  this  is  what  the  Spirit  of  God  clears  to 
every  soul  that  receives  Christ."  As  to  a  lull  as- 
surance, or  the  highest  degree  of  the  grace  of  faith, 
he  used  to  express  himself  in  the  moderate  words  of 
a  late  judicious  divine :  "  I  do  not  afHrm,  that  with- 
out a  full  assurance  there  is  no  faith;  but  this  I 
maintain,  that  wherever  the  latter  exists,  there  will 
be  a  sincere  pursuit  of  the  former."  Among  the 
reasons  why  so  few  persons  attain  this  eminent 
blessing,  he  reckoned  the  following:  They  under- 
stand not  the  perfect  freeness  of  grace,  nor  the  im- 
mense merits  of  Christ:  they  do  not  consider  the 
unspeakable  value  of  an  assured  faith,  neither  are 
they  aware  it  is  intended  for  sinful  men  as  such. 

He  viewed  faith  imputed  for  righteousness,  only 
as  it  accepts  Christ's  righteousness;  even  as  one's 
receiving  a  diamond  with  his  hand  from  a  friend 
may  make  him  worth  some  thousand  pounds,  yet 
it  is  properly  the  friend's  gift,  the  diamond,  that 
enriches  him,  and  not  merely  the  taking  it  into  his 
hand.  The  righteousness  of  faith  he  considered 
as  not  at  all  the  rigliteousness  of  its  own  act,  but 
the  righteousness  of  Christ,  of  God,  the  obedience 
of  one ;  and  he  reckoned  that  believing  as  neither 
honourable  to  God,  nor  any  way  profitable  to  us, 
which  doth  not  receive  Christ  himself  to  be  our 
complete  righteousness,  without  the  consideration 
of  any  thing  performed  by  us,  or  wrought  in  us. 
To  use  his  own  words:  "  We  are  justified  by  faith, 
in  the  same  manner  as  we  are  fed  by  the  hand,  or 
as  we  are  said  to  drink  of  a  cup.  Neither  the  hand 
nor  the  cup  are  the  cause  of  our  sustenance,  but 
the  instruments,  the  one  of  conveying,  the  other 
of  receiving  it," 

From  his  experience,  he  says;  "To  what 
afflicting  fears,  to  what  grievous  despondency, 
should  I,  lor  my  part,  be  perpetually  liable,  if  my 


32 


LIFE  OP 


own  failh  was  the  ground  of  my  justification. 
Blessed  be  the  Father  of  mercies !  we  have  a  surer 
support:  not  upon  faith,  but  upon  its  gracious  Au- 
thor and  glorious  Object  is  the  hope  of  Israel  found- 
ed. My  faith  beholds  nothing  but  the  Divine  Je- 
sus; it  never  inquires,  what  have  I  done?  what 
have  I  suffered  ?  but  what  has  that  most  illustrious 
Personage  done  and  suffered?  what  has  Jevovah, 
manifested  in  our  nature,  wrought  for  the  benefit 
and  redemption  of  sinners?" 

This  assured  faith  he  also  considered  as  produc- 
tive of  the  truest  joy.  This  mere  appropriating 
persuasion  of  Christ  and  his  righteousness,  Mr. 
Hervey  found  of  more  use  to  stay  his  soul  under 
spiritual  conflicts,  than  looking  back  to  ten  thou- 
sand evidences  without  it.  When  he  went  afresh 
to  Jesus  as  a  sinful  creature,  he  found  all  the  relief 
he  needed,  though  he  could  not  apply  as  a  saint. 
Wishing  a  correspondent  might  be  filled  with  all 
joy  and  peace  in  believing,  he  remarks;  "  It  is  ob- 
servable, the  apostle  says,  all  joy  and  peace  are  to 
be  derived,  not  merely  from  practising,  but  be- 
lieving; not  from  any  thing  in  ourselves,  but  from 
the  fulness  that  is  in  Christ?" 

Under  distress  from  indwelling  sin,  he  advises 
:in  these  words :  "  Shall  we  pore  upon  our  blemish- 
es, and  fasten  our  eyes  upon  our  wounds  ?  This 
will  increase  our  anguish.  But  let  us  turn  our 
eyes  to  him  who  was  typified  by  the  brazen  ser- 
pent; by  his  stripes  we  are  healed.  He  that  di- 
verts his  attention  from  this  sublimely  excellent 
object,  must  unavoidably  fall  into  perplexity  and 
distress.  Did  we  steadfastly  believe  in  our  incar- 
nate God  ;  believe  that  every  one  of  our  iniquities 
is  laid  on  him  ;  that  whatever  he  did  and  suffered 
for  the  redemption  of  sinners,  he  did  and  suffered 
for  us ;  that  Christ,  the  Lord  of  glory,  is  made  to 


BEV.    JAMES  HERVET, 


33 


us  righteousness :  were  we  rooted  and  grounded  in 
this  belief,  how  would  it  cheer  our  thoughts!  how 
would  it  draw  the  thorn  from  our  consciences,  and 
pour  the  balm  of  heaven  upon  our  souls  !  This  faith 
is  a  source,  is  the  only  source,  of  substantial  and 
lasting  joy."  This  Mr.  Hervey  attests  by  his  own 
experience  :  when  I  depart  from  this  precious  truth, 
assurance  by  the  direct  act  of  faith,  I  fall  into  dark- 
ness and  distress;  but  when,  looking  for  no  evi- 
dences in  myself,  I  depend  on  the  free  promise  of 
God  in  his  word;  when  regarding  myself  only  as 
a  poor  sinner,  I  confidently  trust  in  Christ  as  my 
righteousness  and  salvation,  then  light  beams  forth 
and  springs  up."  While  these  were  his  views  of 
failh,  he  apprehended  they  were  entirely  agreeable 
to  reason. 

"  For  my  part,"  says  he,  "  I  am  no  more  sur- 
prised that  some  revealed  truths  should  amaze  my 
understanding,  than  that  the  blazing  star  should 
dazzle  my  eyes.  I  should  renounce  my  very  rea- 
son, if  I  did  not  believe  what  Omniscience  attests, 
even  though  it  should  imply  what  is  altogether  in- 
explicable to  my  scanty  conceptions.  My  reason, 
in  her  sedatest  moments,  assures  me  that  Scripture 
cannot  deceive,  though  I  be  unable  to  comprehend. 
My  reason  declares,  that  I  shall  be  a  rebel  against 
her  laws,  if  I  do  not  submit  to  the  determination  of 
Scripture  as  decisive,  as  infallible."  "  My  reason 
says,  Prove  all  things,  admit  nothing  without  a  sa- 
tisfactory proof;  and  when  any  thing  is  proved  to 
be  revealed  of  God,  receive  it  as  an  oracle.  When 
Reason  sets  up  herself  in  proud  contradistinction  to 
the  sacred  oracles;  when,  all-arrogant  and  self-suf- 
ficient, she  says  to  the  word  of  Scripture,  I  have 
no  need  of  thee;  she  is  then,  I  must  be  bold  to 
maintain,  not  only  a  glow-worm,  but  an  ignis  fa- 
tuus,  not  only  a  bubble,  but  a  snare.    I  am,  how- 


34 


LIFE  OP 


ever,  far  from  denying  that  noble  faculty  of  reason, 
\vhen  exerted  in  her  proper  sphere,  and  acting  in 
a  deferential  subordination  to  the  revealed  will  of 
Heaven.  While  she  exercises  her  power  within 
these  limits,  she  is  unspeakably  serviceable,  and 
cannot  be  too  much  cultivated."  What  he  puts  in 
the  mouth  of  his  Aspasio  was  his  own  exercise: — 
Pardon  is  mine,  grace  is  mine,  Christ,  with  all 
his  spiritual  blessings,  is  mine.  Why  ?  because  I 
am  conscious  of  sanctifying  operations  in  my  own 
breast?  rather  because  God  hath  spoken  in  his 
holiness — because  all  these  precious  privileges  are 
consigned  over  to  me  (as  a  sinner)  in  the  everlast- 
ing gospel,  with  a  clearness  as  unquestionable  as 
the  truth — with  a  certainty  inviolable  as  the  oath 
of  God.  Bless  the  Lord,  O  my  soul,  that  a  sinner, 
such  a  vile  sinner,  should  be  allowed  to  take  Christ 
and  all  his  salvation,  as  my  own,  and  thus  to 
assure  myself  of  pardon,  holiness  and  glory." 
Through  the  whole  of  his  pilgrimage  he  exercised 
himself  in  this  believing  confidence. 

Mr.  Hervey  expresses  his  views  of  holiness  in 
the  following  terms:  "True  holiness  consists  in 
the  love  of  God  and  the  love  of  man ;  that  unforced, 
unfeigned,  and  most  rational  love  of  God,  which 
arises  from  a  discovery  of  his  unspeakable  mercy, 
and  infinite  kindness  to  us;  that  cordial,  disinter- 
ested, and  universal  love  of  man,  which  flows  from 
the  possession  of  a  satisfactory  and  delightful  por- 
tion in  the  Lord  Jehovah.  Holiness,  thus  stated 
(says  he)  is  considered  not  as  the  means,  but  as  a 
distinguished  part  of  our  salvation,  or  rather  as  the 
very  central  point,  in  which  all  the  means  of  grace, 
and  all  the  ordinances  of  religion  terminate."  To 
a  friend  he  exclaims :  "  O  what  a  happiness,  and 
what  a  high  distinction,  to  be  enabled  to  adorn  the 
doctrine  of  God  our  Saviour!    May  this  be  the 


BE  V.  JAMES  HEHVET, 


35 


privileo-e  of  your  life  and  conversation ;  then  you 
will  have  no  cause  to  regret  the  want  of  a  ducal 
coronet."  Mr.  Hervey  apprehended  it  a  dangerous 
mistake  to  imagine,  that  holiness  was  something 
entirely  different  from  salvation.  He  knew  that 
upon  this  principle  people  suppose,  they  must  en- 
deavour to  be  holy,  and  then  they  shall  receive  sal- 
vation ;  whereas  the  truth  us,  all  true  holiness  is 
an  essential  ingredient  of  that  complete  and  ever- 
lasting salvation,  which  is  enjoyed  by  believing  on 
the  name  of  Jesus.  Mr.  Hervey  further  adds  as 
to  holiness  ;  "  Man,  in  a  natural  state,  is  absolutely 
incapable  of  practising  this  holiness  or  happiness, 
and  from  this  state  none  are  released  but  by  being 
united  to  Christ,  or,  as  the  apostle  speaks,  by 
Christ  dwelling  in  the  heart  through  faith." 

He  well  understood,  and  constantly  maintained, 
the  connexion  between  faith  and  holiness.  The 
faith  which  Mr.  Hervey  maintained,  was  a  trust  in 
Jesus  for  his  whole  salvation,  for  a  salvation  from 
sin,  as  well  as  from  wrath;  for  that  holiness  of 
heart  and  life,  which  is  absolutely  necessary  to 
make  us  meet  for  the  inheritance  of  the  saints  in 
light,  as  well  as  for  that  righteousness,  by  which 
only  we  can  be  accepted  in  the  sight  of  God.  He 
judged  that  the  holy  tendency  of  this  faith  did  not 
arise  so  much  from  the  nature  of  the  act,  as  from 
its  object,  Christ  made  in  the  offer  of  the  gospel  to 
us  sinful  creatures,  sanctification.  He  would  some- 
times say  to  his  friends,  "  Show  me  what  men  say 
of  virtue,  and  I  will  show  that  the  faith  I  plead  for 
is  productive  of  it." 

He  says,  "  I  am  sorry  to  hear  that  Mr.  

should  think  my  doctrine  tends  to  the  introduction 
of  licentiousness;  far,  very  far  from  it;  it  is  the 
genuine  doctrine  of  the  Scriptures,  and  the  only 
doctrine  to  reclaim  mankind,  as  it  encourages  them 


36 


LIFE  OF 


not  to  continue  in  their  sins,  but  to  turn  to  their 
injured  Lord,  and  receive  salvation  at  his  beneficent 
hand.  '  Him  that  cometh  unto  me,  I  will  in  no 
wise  cast  out,'  are  our  blessed  Lord's  own  words, 
and  all  my  preaching  and  writings  are  founded  on 
that  comfortable  declaration  to  my  lost  undone  fel- 
low creatures,  that  tender  invitation  to  them  in 
whom  there  is  no  health."  Like  every  gospel 
minister,  he  carefully  explained  and  enforced  the 
duties  of  holiness  to  his  hearers,  in  all  their  extent 
and  spirituality.  But  he  viewed  the  truths  of  the 
gospel,  strictly  taken,  as  the  ministration  of  Christ 
and  his  grace  to  the  heart,  these  truths  of  them- 
selves disposing  it  to  holiness.  On  this  point  he 
appeals  to  facts:  "  Mark  the  effect  of  preaching 
mere  morality,  and  of  preaching  the  grace  of 
Christ,"  says  he  to  a  correspondent,  "  Do  they, 
who  would  decry  faith,  and  extol  their  good  works, 
distinguish  themselves  by  the  practice  of  them  ? 
If  not,  I  must  beg  leave  to  say  they  are  self-con- 
demned. Only  observe,  for  the  next  month  (by 
their  fruits  you  will  know  them,)  the  conduct  of 
those  who  are  such  loud  advocates  for  the  merits, 
the  dignity  of  man,  and  the  freedom  of  his  actions, 
and  of  those  who  rely  on  the  active  and  passive 
obedience  of  Christ;  and  then  tell  me  ingenuously, 
which  are  the  people  that  pay  the  greatest  reve- 
rence to  the  word  of  God,  and  in  particular  to  the 
fourth  commandment?  inquire  which  of  them  use 
family  prayer?  whose  conversation  is  most  edify- 
ing? which  of  them  visit  and  travel  on  Sunday? 
and  which  of  them  pass  that  holy  day  as  becometh 
those  that  have  named  the  name  of  Christ?  I  will 
be  bold  to  say,  upon  an  impartial  examination,  the 
majority  of  these  will  be  found  on  the  side  of  those 
who  embrace  the  doctrine  of  the  imputation  of 
Christ's  righteousness,  and  who  expect  salvation 


REV.   JAMES  HERVEY. 


37 


by  him  alone,  and  not  by  deeds  which  they  have 
done."* 

Through  life  he  experienced,  that  his  purity  of 
heart  and  conduct  bore  a  proportional  degree  with 
the  appropriation  of  faith,  in  the  person  and  work 
of  Jesus,  as  an  effect  from  the  cause  ;  so  that,  when 
his  believing  assurance  was  weak,  his  purity  was 
little,  and  when  it  was  strong,  his  holiness  was 
eminent.  The  following  words  of  a  learned  and 
evangelical  modern  writer  well  deserve  a  place 
here:  "Mr.  Hervey  lived  a  life  of  faith,  and,  in 
consequence  of  that,  a  life  of  holiness  in  the  Re- 
deemer. In  the  smallest  things  he  was  exemplary. 
The  late  Mr.  Romaine  told  Mr.  Serle,  that  once 
being  in  his  company  at  breakfast,  Mr.  Hervey 
(being  in  ill  health,)  retired  with  a  small  basin  of 
milk  to  another  part  of  the  room,  and  he  heard 
him  praying  over  it :  '  Lord,  if  I  obtain  no  nourish- 
ment from  this  food,  at  least  let  me  get  thankful- 
ness for  it.'  This  is  a  little  sample  of  the  spirit  in 
which  he  lived;  and  his  life  was  uniformly  such. 
Happy  would  it  be  for  some,  who  have  thought  it 

*  Gen.  Col.  Let.  209. — The  following  anecdote,  related 
of  a  fellovv-labourcr  of  Mr.  Hervey  by  Sir  Richard  Hill, 
may  not  be  unsuitable  in  this  place:  "  When  that  faithful 
minister  of  Christ,  Mr.  Venn,  was  Vicar  of  Huddersficld 
in  Yorkshire,  he  told  me,  that  a  neighbouring  clergyman, 

the  Rev.  Dr.  L  ,  one  day  addressed  him  nearly  in  the 

following  words: — '  Mr.  Venn,  I  know  not  how  it  is,  but 
I  should  really  think  your  doctrines  of  grace  and  faith 
were  calculated  to  make  all  your  hearers  live  in  sin ;  and 
yet  I  must  own  that  there  is  an  astonishing  reformation 
wrought  in  your  parish,  whereas  I  do  not  believe  I  ever 
made  one  soul  the  better,  though  1  have  been  telling  them 
their  duty  for  many  years. '  Mr.  Venn  smiled  at  this  in- 
genuous confession,  and  frankly  told  him,  he  would  do 
well  to  burn  all  his  old  sermons,  and  try  what  preaching 
Christ  would  do." 


38 


LIFE  OF 


proper  to  traduce  him,  if  iheir  hearts  were  as  warm 
towards  Christ,  and  their  lives  were  as  unspotted 
as  his." 

By  several,  under  the  influence  of  a  legal  tem- 
per, Mr.  Harvey  has  been  called  an  Antinomiania 
principle,  as  many  other  evangelical  writers  have 
been.*  Mr.  Ilervey  detested  the  pernicious  prin- 
ciples which  justly  go  under  this  name,  and  labour- 
ed hard  to  explode  them. 

He  explicitly  maintained  the  necessary  connec- 
tion between  faith  and  holiness,  and  the  overpower- 
ing influence  of  the  former  upon  the  latter.  Upon 
this  he  pleasantly  and  judiciously  enlarges  as  to 
religion  in  general,  and  the  various  graces  and  vir- 
tues of  the  Christian  life.  We  offer  the  following 
extracts  from  his  private  letters,  directed  to  those 
whom  he  had  good  evidence  to  consider  as  parta- 
kers of  this  holy  faith: — "So  long  as  the  11th 

*  In  every  age,  the  most  evangelical  writers  and  minis- 
ters have  been  aspersed  with  the  character  of  Antinomians, 
by  persons  unacquainted  with  the  gospel,  who  went  about 
to  establish  their  own  righteousness.  Among  others, 
Messrs.  Trail,  Chauncy,  Romainc,  &c.  in  England,  met 
with  much  obloquy  and  reproach,  under  this  name.  Seve- 
ral in  Scotland  also  suffered  in  their  good  name  on  this 
account:  as  the  eminently  holy  and  judicious  Messrs.  Hog, 
of  Carnock,  Boston,  of  Ettrick,  and  Ebenezer  and  Ralph 
Erskine,  while  maintaining  the  same  doctrines  for  which 
Mr.  Hervey  has  been  so  much  blamed.  The  Antinomian 
errors  are  the  following,  none  of  which  the  above  ministers, 
or  Mr.  Hervey,  ever  maintained : — "The  books  of  the  Old 
Testament  are  no  rule  of  our  faith  under  the  gospel. 
Christ,  and  pardon  of  sin,  are  no  less  our's  before  believing 
than  after  it.  Good  works  are  not  necessary  in  respect  of 
salvation,  Christ  having  fulfilled  all  the  demands  of  the  law 
in  our  stead.  The  ten  commandments  are  not  of  indispen- 
sable obligation.  When  a  believer  comes  short  in  obeying 
God's  law,  he  sins  not,  and  ought  not  to  mourn  for  it." 
Horrid  perversions  of  the  truth ! 


BEV.    JAMES  HERVEY. 


39 


chapter  of  the  Hebrews  remains  in  the  Bible,  it  will 
remain  an  unanswerable  confutation  of  those  objec- 
tions which  suppose  the  doctrine  of  faith  to  have  an 
unkindly  influence  on  religious  or  virtuous  practice; 
against  all  such  cavils  it  will  stand  fast  for  evermore, 
as  the  moon,  and  as  a  faithful  witness  in  heaven.  I^et 
not  any  suspect  that  the  message  of  free  rich  grace 
has  a  tendency  to  sooth  men  into  supineness,  or 
serve  the  cause  of  licentiousness.  It  is  of  all  other  ex- 
pedients the  most  effectually  calculated  to  reconcile 
us  to  God,  to  subdue  our  enmity,  and  captivate  our 
perverse  affections,  to  impress  our  alienated  hearts 
with  adoring  gratitude,  and  engage  our  refractory 
wills  to  dutiful  obedience."  "  Relying  on  nothing 
valuable  in  yourself  ('he  writes  to  a  friend,)  but  de- 
pending entirely  upon  the  faithful  promise  of  Him 
who  cannot  lie,  then  you  will  feel  your  heart  exci- 
ted to  love  your  most  adorable  Benefactor ;  then  you 
will  study  to  please  him  in  all  your  conversation; 
then  you  will  be  truly  holy."  "  The  Lord  purifieth 
the  heart  by  faith  in  Jesus  Christ,  as  giving  his  most 
glorious  person  for  our  ransom,  and  by  his  own  ob- 
lation finishing  our  transgression,  yea,  perfeciingus 
for  ever.  Would  we  renounce  all  ungodliness, 
would  we  live  soberly,  righteously,  and  godly,  in 
the  world?  That  grace,  appropriated  by  faitii,  is 
the  sure,  the  effectual  means  of  true  sanctification ; 
the  sure,  the  effectual  motive  of  willing  obedience." 
"  Faith  is  not  a  dormant  grace,  but  an  active  prin- 
ciple. As  light  never  ceases  to  issue  from  the  sun, 
or  water  from  a  perennial  fountain;  so  a  holy  con- 
versation, and  a  purified  heart,  are  the  inseparable 
effects  of  true  faith:  those  will  always  be  more 
exemplary,  in  proportion  as  this  is  more  lively." 
He  illustrates  this  in  particular  instances  of  duty: 
"  I  congratulate  Mr.  on  his  wisdom  and  hap- 
piness in  giving  up  himself  without  reserve  to  the 


40 


LIFE  OF 


blessed  God.  Why  should  we  be  reluctant  in 
this  deliglitful  ad'iiir?  One  cause  of  our  backward- 
ness is,  our  stubborn  selfishness  and  strong  cor- 
ruption: another  reason  is,  we  do  not  attempt  it  in 
the  proper  way  ;  we  consider  perhaps  the  reasona- 
bleness of  it,  we  urge  on  our  consciences  the  neces- 
sity of  It,  and  we  labour  with  our  hearts,  if  by  any 
means  we  may  bring  them  to  the  practice  of  it; 
but  we  seldom  apply  the  endearing  motives  of  the 
gospel.  Paul  says,  '  I  beseech  you  tlierefore,  breth- 
ren, by  the  mercies  of  God,  that  ye  present  your 
bodies  a  living  sacrifice.'  Here  the  duty  of  sur- 
rendering ourselves  to  the  Almighty  is  inculcated, 
and  the  easy,  the  expeditious  manner  of  doing  it, 
namely,  by  believing,  is  displayed.  We  are  to 
present  our  bodies,  not  in  contradistinction  to  our 
souls,  but  in  allusion  to  the  whole  burnt-offering  of 
old,  in  which  not  a  joint,  or  the  fat,  or  the  kidneys 
only,  but  the  whole  of  the  animal,  was  set  apart  for 
the  victim;  so  we  are  to  devote,  not  this  talent  or 
that  only  but  all  we  have,  and  all  we  are,  to  the 
glory  of  his  name,  and  to  the  good  pleasure  of  his 
will,  a  living  sacrifice,  not  dead  in  carnal  pleasure, 
nor  asleep  in  spiritual  indolence,  but  awake  and 
active  for  our  Divine  Master,  fervent  and  zealous  in 
his  sacred  service.  What  should  engage  us  to  all 
this  ?  The  most  inviting  and  the  most  forcible  of 
inducements,  the  mercies  of  our  God.  He  has 
given  himself,  and  all  his  sublime  perfections,  to 
be  our  portion.  He  has  given  his  Son,  his  infinite 
atonement  and  everlasting  righteousness,  to  be  our 
salvation.  He  has  given  us  his  Spirit  to  testify  of 
Chiist  in  our  hearts,  to  apply  this  great  salvation  to 
our  souls,  and  to  make  all  grace  to  abound  toward 
us.  All  this  he  has  given  freely,  irrevocably,  eternal- 
ly ;  and  can  we,  under  the  influence  of  such  a  faith, 


EEV.    JAMES  HEBVEY. 


41 


can  we  forbear  the  inquiry,  'What  shall  I  render 
to  the  Lortl,  for  all  his  benefits  toward  me  ?'  " 

"  The  apostle  says,  Repent  and  be  baptized ; 
but  if  a  poor  sinner  had  asked  him  this  question, 
How  shall  I  repent?  what  shall  melt  my  stony 
heart?  what  shall  make  me  abhor  myself,  and  my 
beloved  lusts?  To  this  effect  he  would  probably 
have  replied;  Nothing  but  the  grace  of  God  mani- 
fested in  Christ;  believe  that  the  Lord  delivered  up 
his  dearest  Son  to  die  in  your  stead;  believe  that 
the  blessed  Jesus  has  borne  every  one  of  your  sins, 
in  his  bleeding  body  and  on  the  accursed  tree :  this, 
under  the  influence  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  will  soften 
the  hard  heart :  this  will  alienate  your  heart  from  all 
iniquity  ;  by  this  you  will  be  taught  godly  sorrow, 
Zech.  xii.  10,  and  evangelical  humiliation,  Ezek. 
xxxvi.  Repent,  and  believe  the  gospel.  Repent, 
forsake  all  your  vices  and  all  your  follies.  Mortify 
every  evil  temper,  and  renounce  every  evil  way. 
In  order  to  render  this  practicable,  believe  the  gos- 
pel, wherein  a  Saviour  is  preached  and  displayed, 
who  makes  peace  for  such  offenders,  reconciles 
them  to  God,  obtains  eternal  redemption  for  ihem  ; 
this  will  sweetly  draw  your  affections  from  iniquity, 
and  sweetly  attach  them  to  the  blessed  God." 
"  The  truest  humility,  the  most  genuine  abasement, 
is  grounded  on  a  sense  of  our  ever-blessed  Re- 
deemer's love.  He  that  is  high  above  all  height, 
humbled  himself  to  death,  even  the  death  of  the 
cross,  that  he  might  make  expiation  for  these  of- 
fences. When  we  are  properly  impressed  with  this 
astonishing  and  delightful  truth,  it  will  sink  us  in 
humiliation,  while  it  exalts  us  in  hope.  If  we  ob- 
serve the  scales  of  a  balance,  the  higher  the  one 
ascends,  the  lower  proportionably  the  other  drops. 
So  the  more  we  advance  in  this  faith  the  more  we 
4 


42 


LIFE  OF 


shall  increase  in  poverty  of  spirit.  Taylor,  upon 
'  Faith,  working  by  Love,'  is  a  work  I  never  read. 
0  that  I  nia)'  know  its  truth  by  happy  experience  ? 
The  love  of  Christ  is  the  true  source  of  repentance, 
the  true  spur  of  obedience,  and  the  true  spur  to 
mortification;  it  will  make  even  the  stern  counte- 
nance of  that  dreaded  duty  wear  a  smile.  Under 
its  influence,  the  difficult  task  of  self-denial  becomes 
not  practicable  only,  but  easy  and  eligible ;  we 
shall  without  reluctance  deny  ourselves  for  His 
sake,  who  has  obtained  pardon  of  sin  and  eternal 
redemption  for  us;  we  shall  gladly  renounce  any 
alluring  vanity  for  his  honour,  who  has  made  us 
children  of  God  and  heirs  of  glory;  we  shall  be 
ready  to  distribute,  willing  to  communicate,  for  the 
relief  of  his  afflicted  servants,  when  we  believe  that 
their  exalted  Lord  emptied  even  his  veins  and  laid 
down  his  very  life,  for  their  salvation.  Faith  is 
characterised  at  working  by  love.  This  is  its  hap- 
py tendency,  and  this  is  its  generous  language, — 
Has  Christ  been  so  inconceivably  gracious  to  me  ? 
Surely,  then,  I  should  be  kind  to  my  fellow-crea- 
tures, and  to  all  his  people.  Has  he  borne  all  my 
sins  on  the  tree  of  his  cross?  Then  let  me  bear 
with  patience  the  disappointments  which  Provi- 
dence may  ordain,  and  bear  with  meekness  the  dis- 
respect which  my  neighbours  may  offer.  Has  he 
clothed  me  with  the  robe  of  his  immaculate  righte- 
ousness? How  gladly,  then,  should  I  clothe  his 
poor  servants  with  the  fleeces  of  my  sheep,  and 
accommodate  them  with  the  superfluities  of  my 
wealth  !  Has  he  purchased  life  and  immortality  for 
so  despicable  a  creature,  so  vile  a  sinner!  Surely, 
then,  I  should  be  zealous  to  glorify  his  blessed 
name — should  employ  my  little  stock  of  talents  to 
magnify  his  Majesty,  and  to  further  his  sacred 
cause." 


REV.  JAMES  HERVEY. 


43 


"It  is  St.  Paul's  argument,  and  a  most  affecting 
argument  it  is:  'Be  ye  kind  one  to  anotlier,  ten- 
der-hearted, forgiving  one  another,  as  God  for 
Christ's  sake  hath  forgiven  you.'  May  the  Spirit 
of  eternal  goodness  confirm  you  in  this  faith;  and 
give  you  a  happy  persuasion  that  all  your  sins  are 
blotted  out  by  the  blood  of  the  Lamb;  and  that 
though  there  are  and  will  be  failings  in  you,  yet 
there  is  no  condemnation  for  you !  This  will  pro- 
mote and  facilitate  the  increase  of  every  virtue;  just 
as  a  generous  cordial  exhilarates  the  spirits,  invigo- 
rates the  limbs,  and  sheds  its  benign  influence 
through  the  whole  frame."  His  constant  direction 
was,  "  Cherish  faiih,  and  you  will  of  course  culti- 
vate obedience;  water  the  root,  and  the  branches 
of  universal  godliness  will  assuredly  partake  of  its 
beneficial  effects,  will  spread  and  bring  forth  their 
fruits." 

On  the  whole,  while  the  Antinomian  pretends  to 
receive  Christ,  but  does  not  reckon  himself  obliged 
to  walk  in  Christ,  and  the  legalist  considers  him- 
self as  under  an  indispensable  obligation  to  walk 
in  obedience  to  the  law  of  Christ,  while  he  despises 
the  doctrine  of  faith  in  his  person  and  mediation, 
Mr.  Hervey  was  favoured  with  scriptural  views  of 
faith  and  holiness;  and,  as  a  true  Christian,  aimed 
to  receive  the  Lord  Jesus  by  believing,  and  to  walk 
in  him  by  practical  holiness. 

Mr.  Hervey  makes  the  following  remarks  as  to 
an  error,  "  which  is  often  committed  in  our  at- 
tempts to  instruct  little  chddren.  What  is  more 
common  than  to  tell  them,  "if  they  will  be  good, 
God  Almighty  will  love  and  bless  them ;'  whereas 
they  should  rather  be  informed,  that  God  Almighty 
has  given  his  Son  to  die  for  sinners ;  and  if  they 
pray  to  him,  he  will  forgive  their  sins,  will  make 


44 


LIFE  OF 


them  holy  and  happy,  and  bless  them  with  all  spi- 
ritual blessings  in  Christ." 

The  doctrines  of  grace,  which  he  so  explicitly 
maintained,  he  fully  expected  would  be  opposed. 
He  had  been  warned  of  this  by  Mr.  Whitefield ; 
"  1  foretel  the  fate  of  these  volumes ;  nothing  but 
your  scenery  can  screen  you ;  self  will  never  con- 
sent to  die,  though  slain  in  so  genteel  a  manner, 
without  showing  some  resentment  against  its  artful 
murderer."  He  expected  it  himself.  Enlarging 
on  sovereign  grace,  as  running  through  all  divine 
blessings,  he  observes :  "  This  is  that  glorious 
gospel,  which  human  learning  could  never  have 
discovered,  which  carnal  reason  cannot  understand, 
which  the  wisdom  of  this  world  counteth  foolish- 
ness, which  the  envy  of  the  devil  and  the  pride  of 
man  will  always  oppose.  So  long  as  the  devil  is 
suffered  to  deceive  the  nations,  and  so  long  as  the 
heart  is  unconvinced  of  sin,  we  may  assure  our- 
selves, that  the  doctrines  of  justification  by  Christ's 
righteousness,  and  salvation  by  free  grace,  will  be 
opposed." 

He  could  also  glory  in  any  name  of  reproach 
(as  the  honourable  reproach  of  Christ)  that  might 
be  cast  upon  him,  for  asserting  the  absolute  bound- 
less freedom  of  the  grace  of  God,  which  excludes 
every  kind  of  human  merit,  and  teaches  men  to 
deny  ungodliness  and  wordly  lusts,  and  to  live  so- 
berly, righteously,  and  godly. 

He  evinced  much  candour  and  forbearance,  but 
properly  guards  himself  in  the  following  words: — 
"  I  apprehend,  that  between  Christians,  whose 
judgments  disagree  only  about  a  form  of  prayer, 
or  manner  of  worship,  there  is  no  more  essential 
difference  than  between  flowers  that  bloom  from 
the  same  kind  of  seed,  but  happen  to  be  somewhat 


REV.  JAMES  HEHVEY. 


45 


diversified  in  the  mixture  of  their  colours;  where- 
as, if  one  denies  the  divinity  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  and  degrades  the  incarnate  God  to  the 
meanness  of  a  mere  creature ;  if  another  cries  up 
the  worthiness  of  liuman  works,  and  depreciates 
the  meritorious  righteousness  of  the  glorious  Me- 
diator; if  a  third  addresses  the  incommunicable 
honours  to  a  finite  being,  and  bows  to  the  image, 
or  prays  to  the  saint;  these  are  errors,  in  my  opi- 
nion, unhappily  derogatory  to  the  Redeemer's  dig- 
nity, and  not  a  little  prejudicial  to  the  comfort  of 
his  people.  Against  these,  therefore,  to  remon- 
strate, bespeaks,  not  the  censorious  bigot,  but  the 
friend  of  truth,  and  the  lover  of  mankind;  where- 
as, to  stand  neuter  and  silent,  while  such  principles 
are  propagated,  might  be  an  instance  of  criminal 
remissness,  rather  than  of  Christian  ranoderation. 
For  persons  who  espouse  such  persuasions  as  the 
former,  and  habituate  themselves  to  such  practices 
as  the  latter,  we  will  not  fail  to  maintain  a  tender 
compassion;  we  will  not  cease  to  put  up  earnest 
intercessions;  we  will  also  acknowledge  and  love 
whatever  is  truly  excellent  and  amiable  in  them.  Yet 
we  dare  not  subscribe  their  creed;  we  cannot  re- 
mit our  assiduous  but  kind  endeavours  to  reconcile 
them  to  what  (upon  the  most  impartial  examina- 
tion,) we  are  thoroughly  convinced  is  a  more 
scriptural  belief  and  a  purer  worship." 


HIS  PUBLIC  CHARACTER  AND  CONDUCT. 

In  his  public  ministry,  Mr.  Hervey  clearly  stated 
and  illustrated  the  difference  of  the  law,  which  re- 
quires all  obedience  of  men;  and  of  the  gospel 
strictly  taken,  which  freely  offers  and  gives  all 
privileges  to  us;  and  their  blessed  harmony  and 


46 


LIFE  OF 


mutual  subserviency  in  Christ.  He  aimed  to  coun- 
teract, with  equal  care,  self-riglUeous  legality  on 
the  one  hand,  and  Antinomian  licentiousness  on  the 
other.  He  says  himself  to  his  people:  "  The  usual 
subjects  of  your  preacher,  are  the  absolutely  free 
grace  of  God,  and  the  immensely  rich  merits  of 
Christ;  the  infinite  atonement  and  everlasting  right- 
eousness of  the  Redeemer.  While  he  enlarges  on 
these,  he  is  sowing  the  seed  of  vital  holiness,  with- 
out which  seed,  holiness  will  never  flourish  in 
your  hearts,  will  never  bring  forth  fruit  in  your 
lives."  He  Avas  anxiously  concerned  to  have  his 
people  thoroughly  convinced  that  they  were  sinful 
lost  creatures,  not  to  recommend  them  to  Christ, 
but  that,  from  such  a  conviction,  they  might  per- 
ceive their  indispensable  need  of  a  Saviour.  To 
this  purpose  he  says  to  them ;  "  I  dare  not  flatter 
you  with  vain  hopes ;  I  must  not  buoy  you  with 
ungrounded  imaginations.  Beware,  I  beseech  you, 
lest  you  build  for  eternity  on  the  sand.  Trust  no 
longer  in  a  refuge  of  lies,  lest  all  your  admired  at- 
tainments, at  the  day  of  final  retribution,  be  like 
straw,  and  hay,  and  slubble,  in  Nebuchadnezzar's 
fiery  furnace."*  In  another  sermon  he  thus  ad- 
ministers reproof :  "  If  I  could  speak  in  thunder,  I 
could  never  inveigh  too  loudly  against  these  vices  : 
ye  that  go  on  in  such  iniquities,  ye  are  scattering 
brimstone  on  your  habitations,  ye  are  heaping  up 
wrath  against  the  day  of  wrath,  how  can  ye  escape 
the  damnation  of  hell?"t 

Mr.  Hervey  especially  preached  Jesus  to  his 
people,  and  enlarged  on  the  glorious  person,  the 
mysterious  incarnation,  the  amazing  satisfaction  of 

*  The  Cross  of  Christ  the  Christian's  glory, 
t  Sermon  on  The  Way  of  Holiness. 


REV.   JAMES  HERVEY. 


47 


Christ  Jesus  the  Lord;  the  glories  of  his  exalted 
state;  his  mediatorial  characters,  offices,  and  rela- 
tions. Those  were  his  darling  themes,  on  which 
he  expatiated  with  peculiar  delight ;  and  when  any 
topics  that  have  not  the  most  immediate  relation  to 
Christ  were  the  subjects  of  his  discourse,  yet  still 
it  might  be  said  of  his  sermons,  what  the  apostle 
says  of  Christians,  "  Of  him  are  ye  in  Christ  Je- 
sus ;"  whatever  mystery,  whatever  privilege,  what- 
ever duty  he  chose  to  explain,  still  Christ  was  all 
in  all.  If  he  insisted  on  a  divine  attribute,  he  de- 
clared how  it  shone  forth  in  Christ  with  the  bright- 
est evidence.  If  on  a  promise,  he  explained  how 
in  Christ  it  was  yea  and  amen.  If  on  a  command, 
he  inculcated  the  propriety  of  obedience  by  fur- 
nishing motives  deduced  from  Christ,  and  how  im- 
possible it  is  to  obey  without  being  united  to 
him  as  the  head  of  vital  influence.  His  precious 
Redeemer  was  the  beginning,  the  middle,  and  the 
end  of  every  sermon  with  him.  He  apprehended 
that  all  the  efficacy  of  gospel-truth,  for  light,  holi- 
ness, and  comfort,  centered  in  and  arose  from  the 
divine  person  of  Immanuel.  He  particularly  was 
determined,  with  the  apostle,  to  preach  him  as 
crucified.  Well  might  he  appeal  to  his  hearers, 
in  one  of  his  published  sermons:  "  Does  not  the 
joyful  sound  echo  under  these  roofs  ?  Is  not  Christ 
crucified  set  before  your  eyes  1  Crucified  for  such 
offenders;  crucified  that  such  offenders  as  you 
may  be  pardoned,  may  be  accepted,  may  be  glori- 
fied." The  cross  of  Christ  was  the  doctrine  that 
lay  nearest  his  heart;  this,  in  all  its  tendencies 
and  bearings,  in  all  its  relations  to  the  honour  of 
God  and  the  salvation  of  men,  he  delighted  to  elu- 
cidate in  every  various  form  of  words,  and  on  this 
he  dwelt  with  growing  zeal  and  ardour  to  the  close 


I 


48  LIFE  OF 

of  life.  It  was  the  subject  that  met  him  in  every 
direction,  that  beautified  and  adorned  every  other 
topic,  that  lived  and  breathed  in  all  his  preaching, 
the  centre  of  all  his  sermons ;  in  reference  to,  and 
in  dependence  upon  which,  other  subjects  were 
considered.  As  an  ambassador  of  Christ,  he  wished 
to  spread  far  and  wide  the  honours  of  the  Lamb 
that  was  slain ;  to  make  every  sacred  roof  resound 
with  his  fame,  and  every  human  heart  glow  with 
his  love ;  to  declare,  as  far  as  the  force  of  words 
would  go,  the  inconceivable  richness  of  that  aton- 
ing blood,  whose  merits  are  commensurate  with 
the  glories  of  the  divinity ;  to  tell  the  most  sinful 
wretch  what  pity  yearns  in  Immanuel's  bowels, 
and  what  the  compassionate  High  Priest  has  done 
for  his  soul;  to  invite  the  indigent  to  become  rich, 
and  to  entreat  the  guilty  to  accept  of  pardon,  be- 
cause in  the  crucified  Jesus  is  fulness  of  grace,  and 
all-sufficiency  to  save.  What  he  laid  before  an 
assembly  of  ministers,  he  exemplified  in  his  own 
conduct.  He  set  not  before  his  hearers  a  system 
of  refined  heathenism,  nor  entertained  them  with 
cold  spiritless  lectures  of  virtue;  on  the  contrary, 
he  displayed  the  infinitely  tender  love,  and  im- 
mensely free  grace  of  the  dying  Jesus.  No  topics 
in  the  whole  compass  of  oratory,  no  argument 
amidst  all  the  stores  of  reason,  did  he  find  so  admi- 
rably calculated  to  excite  the  finest  movements  of 
the  soul,  to  strike  all  the  inmost  springs  of  action, 
with  the  most  persuasive  energy.  When  he 
alarmed  the  supine,  or  intimidated  the  presumptu- 
ous, he  would  call  them  to  behold  God's  own  Son 
weltering  in  his  blood — God's  own  Son  transfixed 
with  the  arrows  of  justice.  He  bade  them  con- 
sider, if  judgment  begins  with  the  immaculate  Me- 
diator, where  the  irreclaimable  sinner  would  ap- 


REV.   JAMES  HERVEY. 


49 


pear?  How  could  he  escape  the  stroke,  or  bear 
the  weight  of  God's  everlasting  vengeance?  When 
he  would  comfort  the  distressed,  he  pointed  them 
to  an  atonement,  whose  merits  are  infinite,  and  able 
to  save  to  the  very  uttermost;  he  led  them  to  a 
righteousness,  wliose  efficacy  is  unbounded,  and 
sufficient  to  justify  the  ungodly,  and  to  the  only 
sovereign  balm  for  a  wounded  conscience.  In  sup- 
porting the  weak,  and  animating  the  doubting,  he 
showed  them  promises,  free  and  exceeding  great 
and  j)recious  promises,  sealed  by  the  blood  of  Je- 
hovah's Son.    He  declared, 

"  To  man  the  bleeding  cross  has  proniis'd  all, 
The  bleeding  cross  has  sworn  eternal  grace." 

This  he  viewed  as  the  most  restorative  cordial  to 
the  drooping  Christian;  and,  in  short,  found  the 
doctrine  of  Immanuel's  cross  suited  to  answer  all 
the  ends  of  his  ministry,  and  promote  all  the  truly 
valuable  interests  of  his  people.  Particularly,  he 
was  persuaded  that  this  doctrine,  though  rich  with 
consolation  to  the  ruined  sinner,  was  in  no  respect 
likely  to  open  a  door  for  licentiousness,  and  em- 
bolden sinners  to  prosecute  their  vices;  on  the 
contrary,  he  knew  it  was  the  only  powerful  mo- 
tive to  that  genuine  repentance,  which  flows  from 
an  unfeigned  love  of  God,  and  operates  in  a  hearty 
detestation  of  all  sin.  While  this  was  to  some  a 
stumbling-block  and  foolishness,  he  made  it  the 
Alpha  and  Omega,  the  beginning  and  ending,  of 
all  his  ministrations.  He  faithfully  told  his  people 
their  sin  and  duty,  as  prudently  as  possible,  and 
Avith  the  gentleness  of  Christ;  but  as  to  these 
points  nothing  could  prevail  on  him  to  conceal  or 
disguise  them.  He  used  this  method  of  preaching, 
that  by  union  and  fellowship  with  Jesus  they 
5 


50 


LIFE  OF 


might  enjoy  every  spiritual  blessing,  and  be  adorn- 
ed with  every  virtue:  earnestly  he  wished  to  in- 
graft his  hearers  into  tlie  true  vine,  that  he  might 
quickly  find  them  loaded  witli  tlie  fruits  of  right- 
eousness. He  longed  particularly  to  have  a  lively 
sense  of  the  goodness  of  a  redeeming  God,  mani- 
fested in  freely  offering  pardon  and  peace  to  rebel- 
lious sinners  in  the  gospel,  impressed  on  their 
souls.  From  this  source,  he  knew,  by  happy  ex- 
perience, that  all  the  amiable  graces  and  important 
duties,  which  constitute  the  dignity  or  happiness  of 
our  nature,  could  alone  be  derived.  He  clearly  tes- 
tified the  grace  of  God,  and  constantly  affirmed, 
that  they  who  believed  in  God,  should  be  careful 
to  maintain  good  works. 

His  manner  of  preaching  was  impressive  ;  in- 
deed, he  brought  his  message  written  on  his  heart. 
He  spoke  of  the  guilt  of  sin,  and  the  sufferings  of 
Christ,  in  ihe  exercise  of  feeling  his  own  guilt,  and 
leaning  on  these  sufferings  for  its  expiation.  He 
expatiated  on  the  love  of  Christ,  under  the  influ- 
ence of  a  heart  kindled  with  it;  and  on  the  glory 
to  come,  in  the  temper  of  one  who  expects,  and 
longs,  to  be  a  sharer  in  it.  In  preaching,  Mr. 
Hervey  was  always  very  earnest,  particularly  near 
the  end;  so  much  so,  that  he  had  always  to  change 
his  linen.  We  have  several  instances  of  this  earnest- 
ness in  the  few  sermons  he  published,  especially 
in  his  addresses  to  sinners: — "  O  that  I  might  pre- 
vail !  O  that  God  would  make  you  sensible  of 
your  peril!  O  that  man,  woman,  and  child  would 
ask,  How  shall  I  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come  ? 
Fain  would  I  prevail  in  this  most  importunate  ad- 
dress. My  dear  friends,  if  you  turn  away  from 
such  invitations,  you  are  ruined  to  eternity.  To 
believe  on  the  Son  of  God  is  your  grand  concern, 


REV.    JAMES  HERVET. 


51 


the  one  thing  needful;  without  this  nothing  will 
profit  you;  tiierefore  I  repeat  my  exhort:ition, 
therefore  I  am  so  urgent,  therefore  I  cannot  dis- 
miss the  subject,  without  beseeching  the  Father  of 
mercies  to  command  a  blessing  upon  tlie  word." 
Under  great  weakness  of  body,  he  says  to  his  peo- 
ple, "  Shall  I  proceed?  I  have  been  already  copi- 
ous, perhaps  somewhat  tedious,  yet  yon  will  bear 
with  me  on  tiiis  occasion ;  yes,  you  will  bear  with 
me  a  little  longer,  for  I  am  loth,  very  loth  to  dis- 
miss you  without  persuading  you.  Let  me  entreat 
you,  brelln-en,  for  the  sake  of  your  immortal  souls ; 
let  me  charge  you  by  all  that  is  desirable  in  time, 
and  awful  in  eternity,  not  to  neglect  these  coun- 
sels." 

His  mode  of  preaching  was  not  that  general  ad- 
dress which  seems  to  take  for  granted  all  men  are 
saints ;  it  was,  on  the  contrary,  very  discrimina- 
tive. He  knew  that  he  preached  to  a  mixed  au- 
dience, men  in  very  diflerent  situations,  and  of 
very  different  characters,  and,  like  a  wise  steward, 
he  gave  to  each  his  portion  of  food  in  due  season : 
the  sinner  in  a  natural  state  he  roused,  he  also 
pressed  and  encouraged  him  to  the  use  of  all  the 
means  appointed  for  the  working  of  saving  faith ; 
the  saint  he  exhorted  to  build  himself  up  on  his 
most  holy  faith,  in  the  exercise  of  every  good  word 
and  work.  The  style  which  he  used  in  his  ser- 
mons, was  far  from  possessing  that  luxuriancy  and 
brilliance  which  is  to  be  found  in  his  Meditations; 
yet,  while  it  was  in  the  highest  degree  simple  and 
perspicuous,  it  never  degenerated  into  rant  or  vul- 
garity. He  wished  to  adapt  his  language  to  the 
lowest  capacity.  Mr.  Hervey  thought  evangelical 
doctrine  and  plain  language  of  much  more  import- 
ance to  his  parishioners,  than  elaborate  and  orna- 


52 


LIFE  OF 


mental  discourses ;  though  few  men  were  more 
capable  of  gratifying  a  polite  audience.  While  he 
could  see  and  admire  the  beauties  of  the  eloquent 
orator  or  strong  reasoner,  he  wished  to  be  a  useful 
minister  of  Christ.  As  to  his  preparations  for  the 
pulpit,  he,  for  many  years,  while  at  Dummer, 
Bideford,  and  CoUingtree,  wrote  notes  of  his  ser- 
mons in  short-hand ;  after  he  was  setded  at  Wes- 
ton-Favel  he  discontinued  this  practice,  having  then 
a  good  acquaintance  with  the  system  of  gospel- 
truth.  He,  without  notes,  by  meditation  and  prayer, 
arranged  his  preparations  for  public  service;  so 
that,  as  he  says,  all  his  sermons  vanished  into  air, 
unless  the  blessed  Spirit  had  left  any  trace  of  them 
on  the  heart  of  the  hearers. 

Mr.  Hervey  suited  himself  to  his  different  charges; 
at  Bideford  he  never  forgot  the  sailors,  and  at  Wes- 
ton he  knew  he  spoke  to  husbandmen.  The  fol- 
lowing extract  from  a  sermon  of  his  to  sailors  will 
illustrate  this  remark:  "  What  we  have  mentioned 
of  our  Lord's  saying,  '  Peace,  be  still,'  to  the 
raging  waves,  may  instruct  you  whom  to  address 
in  the  hour  of  danger;  and  may  also  teach  you  the 
wisdom  of  securing  an  interest  in  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  whose  divine  word  even  the  winds  and  sea 
obey.  The  hour  is  coming,  dear  sailors,  when 
you  shall  hail  with  shouts  your  native  land  no 
more.  O  then  seek  unto  Christ;  get  an  interest 
in  his  merits ;  give  yourselves  up  to  his  govern- 
ance ;  let  his  word  be  your  compass ;  let  his 
grace  hold  the  helm,  and  steer  your  course;  let 
his  blessing  fill  your  sails ;  let  his  blood,  his  right- 
eousness, his  Spirit  be  the  prize  of  your  calling; 
let  this  be  the  precious  merchandize  you  covet, 
this  the  pearl  of  great  price  you  seek.  Lay  hold 
on  Christ;  and,  renouncing  every  other  refuge,  lay 


R  E  V.    J  A  M  E  S    H  E  R  V  E  Y.  53 

the  whole  stress  of  your  soul  wholly  on  Christ,  as 
a  shipwrecked  mariner  relinquishes  all  his  sinking 
cargo,  and  clings  only  to  the  planks  that  may  float 
him  safe  to  sliore."  To  the  mariners  he  also  says: 
"  You  have  not  the  opportunities  which  your  rela- 
tions enjoy  on  the  land.  You  have  no  churches 
to  frequent,  no  sacraments  to  receive,  nor  such 
plenty  of  the  means  of  grace  ;  but  you  see  more 
of  the  awful  God,  and  his  tremendous  works.  You 
see  with  what  dreadful  splendour  his  lightnings 
shine  upon  the  world,  and  with  Avhat  astonishing 
majesty  he  utters  his  voice  in  thunders.  You  see 
how,  at  his  command,  the  stormy  wind  ariseth, 
and  the  waters  rage  horribly:  again,  at  his  com- 
mand, the  tempestuous  elements  are  hushed,  and 
the  troubled  ocean  sinks  into  a  calm.  The  craggy 
rocks  that  break  the  foaming  billows,  and  can  as 
easily  dash  your  vessel  into  a  thousand  pieces ; 
those  rocks  are  set  fast  by  his  mighty  arm,  and 
melt  like  wax  at  his  tremendous  frown.  Those 
lofty  mountains,  which  throw  their  shade  over  the 
seas,  and  point  out  your  way  from  afar;  all  these 
arose  at  his  word,  and  stand  as  so  many  attestations 
of  his  power.  If  he  descend  in  terrible  magnifi- 
cence, they  flee  like  frighted  lambs;  if  he  touch 
them  in  his  indignation,  they  smoke  like  lighted 
tow." 

In  administering  the  Lord's  Supper  he  was  pe- 
culiarly lively  and  fervent,  so  that  sometimes  his 
natural  strength  would  be  quite  exhausted. 

The  venerable  Dr.  Haweis  attended  his  ministry 
one  sabbath,  and  sent  the  compiler  the  following 
account,  which  he  allows  to  be  made  public.  "  My 
knowledge  and  acquaintance  with  Mr.  Hervey  was 
only  of  one  day,  of  one  sabbath:  he  was  removing 
from  his  ministerial  labours,  just  as  I  was  ready  to 


54 


LIFE  OF 


enter  upon  iheni,  and  being  very  desirous  of  see- 
ing him  before  his  departure  to  glory,  and  if  I  might 
secure  but  a  thread  of  the  mantle  of  Ehjah,  I  rode 
from  Oxford  to  Weston-Favel,  his  parish,  a  dis- 
tance of  about  fifty  miles  for  that  purpose.  I  found 
him  tall,  and  much  emaciated:  with  serenity  of 
countenance,  and  a  cordial  welcome,  he  asked  me 
to  dine  and  spend  the  day  with  him,  which  I  ac- 
cepted with  pleasure.  His  preaching  was  purely 
evangelical,  and  very  similar  to  his  writings,  in 
beautiful  comments  on  the  Scriptures  lie  quoted  ; 
but  his  manner  of  delivery  far  from  the  elegance  I 
expected  in  the  tone  of  voice  and  action.  His 
cliurch  was  very  small,  and,  though  full,  not  re- 
markably crowded;  but  the  people  were  very  at- 
tentive to  hear  him.  He  invited  me  to  go  home 
with  him;  and  engaged  in  very  kind  and  spiritual 
conversation.  I  just  remember  one  observation  he 
made.  We  sat  in  a  little  inner  parlour,  and  his 
mother  and  sisler  in  one  adjoining.  I  observed  a 
little  sauce-pan  on  the  fire:  "  You  will  dine  in  the 
next  room  witii  my  mother,"  said  he;  "  I  no  long- 
er eat  meat;  this  is  my  little  cookery  (some  gruel,) 
which,  like  the  pulse  which  fed  Daniel  and  his 
fellows,  if  the  Lord  please  to  bless  it,  can  strength- 
en me  for  the  King's  service,  that  I  should  be  fat- 
ter and  fairer  than  if  I  used  more  substantial  food." 
At  evening,  when  I  parted  with  him,  to  meet  no 
more  till  we  should  be  counted  worthy  to  stand  be- 
fore the  Son  of  man,  an  aged  domestic  brought  out 
my  horse,  and,  as  I  mounted,  ofl'ered  for  me  a  fer- 
vent prayer,  that  He  who  dwelt  in  the  bush,  would 
be  my  guide  through  the  wilderness.  The  distance 
of  time  is  so  great,  that  these  are  the  only  circum- 
stances I  remember." 

He  did  not  think  it  sufficient  to  preach  on  the 


REV.   JAMES  HERVEV. 


55 


Lord's  clay  only,  but  he  set  up  a  weekly  lecture 
every  Wednesday  evening  at  Weston-Favel  church, 
which  was  well  attended,  and  much  blessed  to 
many  of  his  neighbours;  this  lecture  was  held, 
during  the  winter,  at  seven  o'clock,  that  it  might 
not  interfere  with  the  work  of  the  labouring  people; 
and  he  lighted  the  church  at  his  own  expense,  not 
choosing  to  put  the  parish  to  any  additional  charge. 
The  exercise  of  his  ministry,  in  this  respect,  he 
expresses  to  a  correspondent  in  the  following  terms: 
"  I  have  this  afternoon  been  preaching  to  a  crowd- 
ed audience — the  Lord  grant  it  may  be  an  edified 
one!  One  would  be  surprised,  and  I  believe  every 
body  wonders,  that  I  am  able  to  officiate  for  my- 
self. I  am  so  weak  (in  1753,)  that  I  can  hardly 
walk  to  the  end  of  my  parish,  though  a  small  one, 
and  so  tender,  that  I  dare  not  visit  my  poor  neigh- 
bours, for  fear  of  catching  cold  in  their  bleak  houses; 
yet  I  am  enabled  every  Lord's  day  to  catechise  and 
expound  to  my  children  in  the  morning,  and  to 
preach  in  the  afternoon;  and  every  Wednesday 
evening,  hay-time  and  harvest  only  excepted,  I 
give  them  a  lecture  or  sermon  in  Weston  church. 
This  is  the  Lord's  doing,  or,  as  your  favourite 
book  expresses  it,  this  is  owing  to  the  good  hand 
of  God  upon  me.  Join  with  me  in  adoring  his 
name;  pray  with  me,  that  if  my  life  is  spared,  my 
capacity  for  his  service  may  be  prolonged ;  that 
if  it  be  his  blessed  will,  the  day  which  puts  an 
end  to  the  one,  may  put  a  period  to  the  other." 

Mr.  Hervey  did  not  confine  his  preaching  to  his 
church  alone,  but  took  every  opportunity  to  preach 
Christ.  One  of  his  constant  hearers  relates  the  fol- 
lowing anecdote  on  this  head,  which  fell  under  his 
own  observation  : — "  Mr.  Hervey  had  preached  on 
Gen.  xxviii,  12,  "And,  behold,  a  ladder,  set  upon 


56 


LIFE  OF 


the  earth,  and  the  top  of  it  reached  to  heaven,'  &c.: 
this  he  considered  as  a  type  of  Christ.  After  he 
had  done  his  duty  in  the  church  of  Weston,  as  he 
was  coming  down  the  lane,  leading  from  it  to  his 
own  house,  his  hearers,  wishing  to  show  their  re- 
gard to  him,  generally  used  to  stand  on  each  side  of 
the  lane  to  pay  their  respects,  by  bowing  and  cour- 
tesying  to  him  as  he  passed  :  so  soon  as  he  came 
to  the  top  of  the  lane,  he  lifted  up  his  hands,  and 
gave  a  short  lecture  as  he  passed  along,  saying, 
'  O  my  friends,  I  beg  of  God  you  may  not  forget 
this  glorious  ladder,  that  Almighty  God  hath  pro- 
vided for  poor  sinners  ;  a  ladder  that  will  conduct 
us  from  this  grovelling  earth!  a  ladder  that  will 
raise  us  above  our  corruption,  unto  the  glorious 
liberty  of  the  sons  of  God  !  O  my  dear  friends  and 
hearers,  I  beg  you  will  never  forget  this  glorious 
ladder,  but  hope  you  may  daily  meditate  upon  it, 
till  you  reach  the  third  lieaven." 

He  appears  to  have  preached  seldom  any  where 
but  at  home,  unless  when  called  to  preach  visita- 
tion-sermons. He  gives  an  account  of  two  occa- 
sions of  this  sort.  In  June,  1741,  he  writes:  "I 
am  just  now  going  to  our  visitation,  held  at  Nor- 
thampton; I  shall  appear  a  stranger  in  our  Jerusa- 
lem, knowing  few,  and  known  by  fewer.  Methinks 
there  is  something  august  and  venerable  in  a  meet- 
ing of  the  clergy,  especially  if  one  look  upon  them 
as  so  many  agents  from  the  invisible  God,  and  en- 
voys from  the  court  of  heaven.  I  Iiope  to  be  put 
in  mind  of  that  awful  day,  when  the  Lord  Jesus, 
the  great  Shepherd  of  the  sheep,  and  Bishop  of 
souls,  will  make  his  entrance  in  the  clouds  of 
heaven."  He  preached  on  2  Cor.  v.  18:  the  ser- 
mon was  published  after  his  death,  and  is  entitled, 
The  Ministry  of  Reconciliation.    In  1753,  he  was 


REV.   JAMES  HERVEY. 


57 


called  to  the  same  duty.  He  thus  speaks  of  this 
occasion  : — "  I  am  going  to  set  out  for  Northamp- 
ton, where  I  am  to  preach  the  visitation-sermon. 
I  know  not  how  I  sliall  speak,  so  as  to  be  heard  in 
that  very  large  and  lofty  church.  May  the  Lord 
God  Omnipotent  make  his  strength  perfect  in  my 
extreme  weakness  !  My  text  is,  God  forbid  that 
I  should  glory,  save  in  the  cross  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ.  O  for  the  eloquence  of  an  Apollos,  and 
the  fervour  of  a  Boanerges,  to  treat  worthily  such 
a  subject !  I  am  quite  ashamed  of  my  poor  spirit- 
less jejune  composition  ;  and  I  am  not  less  ashamed 
of  my  unbelief,  that  I  dare  not  trust  God  for  utter- 
ance, but,  before  an  audience  that  is  critical,  for- 
sooth, must  use  my  notes." 

In  tliese  sermons,  especially  the  last,  he  bore  an 
open  and  explicit  testimony  to  almost  all  the  pecu- 
liarities of  the  gospel,  before  many  who  maintained 
an  entirely  opposite  system,  or  cared  for  none  of 
these  things.  He  afterwards  printed  it  for  the 
benefit  of  a  poor  child.  He  seems  also  to  have 
preached  occasionally  in  one  of  the  seaport  towns 
in  the  west. 

The  performance  of  his  ministerial  duty  was,  for 
some  time  before  he  died,  much  interrupted  by  the 
ill  state  of  his  health,  which  would  not  permit  him 
personally  to  fulfil  all  his  pastoral  duties ;  a  circum- 
stance which  gave  him  great  concern.  He  would 
often  lament  his  inability  to  serve  his  people,  com- 
paring himself  to  a  bleeding  disabled  soldier,  and 
only  not  slain.  He  would  also  sometimes  say, 
"  My  preaching  is  not  like  sending  an  arrow  from 
a  bow,  to  which  some  strength  of  arm  is  necessary, 
but  like  pulling  the  trigger  of  a  gun,  ready  charged, 
which  the  feeblest  finger  can  do."  During  the  last 
two  or  three  years  before  he  died,  he  could  scarcely 


58 


LIFE  OF 


do  any  thing  more  than  preach  once  on  the  Lord's 
day,  when  people  from  many  miles  round  (locked 
to  liear  him.  His  ^Vednesday  evening  lecture  he 
discontinued  for  the  last  year  of  his  life.  In  Jan- 
uary, 1758,  he  writes:  "The  cough  has  totally 
destroyed  the  small  remainder  of  strength,  that  I 
am  quite  incapable  to  preach  so  much  as  once  on 
the  Lord's  day;  I  am  obliged  to  beg  assistance, 
and  am  looking  out  for  a  curate,  to  take  the  whole 
business  on  his  hands.  May  the  Head  of  the 
Church  vouchsafe  to  furnish  me  with  a  faidifui  and 
wise  steward,  who  may  supply  my  lack  of  service, 
and  give  his  household  their  portion  of  meat  in  due 
season,"  He  always  preached  without  notes,  ex- 
cept on  very  particular  occasions;  but  his  method 
was  judicious  and  clear,  and  not  incumbered  with 
too  many  divisions.  As  to  this,  his  friend  Dr. 
Stonehouse  says,  "  I  recollect  that  he  preached 
without  notes,  excepting  that  he  had  before  him  a 
small  leaf  of  paper,  on  which  were  written,  in 
short-hand,  the  general  heads  and  particulars  of  the 
sermon,  which  he  sometimes  looked  at,  and  some- 
limes  not.  He  was  very  regular  in  his  plans,  nor 
was  he  very  long;  from  thirty  to  forty  minutes 
was  his  usual  time;  rarely  longer."  His  weak- 
ness rendering  him,  for  several  months  before  his 
death,  incapable  of  speaking  any  length  of  time  to 
his  congregation,  he  sliortened  his  discourses,  and 
took  a  most  useful  method  of  inculcating  his  in- 
structions. After  he  had  expounded  his  text,  and 
divided  his  sermon  into  two  or  three  heads,  he 
would  speak  briefly,  and  at  the  conclusion  of  each 
head,  enforce  wiiat  he  had  said  by  a  pertinent  text 
of  Scripture,  desiring  his  congregation  to  turn  to 
their  Bibles,  and  double  down  that  text.  "  Now, 
(added  he,)  my  dear  brethren,  if  you  forget  my 


KEV.  JAMES  HERVEY. 


59 


sermon,  you  cannot  forget  God's  word  in  this 
text,  unless  you  wilfully  throw  aside  your  Bibles. 
Show  this  to  your  children,  or  the  absent  part  of 
your  family,  when  you  return  home.  Ponder  and 
pray  over  these  portions  of  God's  word  ;  you  will 
have  abundant  matter  for  edification."  Then  he 
gave  a  striking  exhortation,  and  at  the  end  of  it, 
another  text  for  them  to  double  down;  so  that  they 
had  always  three  texts,  in  order  to  their  finding  of 
which,  he  paused  in  the  pulpit.  This  method  had 
anodier  good  effect;  it  obliged  the  generality  to 
bring  their  Bibles  along  with  them,  for  those  who 
were  without  Bibles,  lost  the  benefit  of  the  texts, 
and  were  unemployed;  while  the  great  majority, 
who  had  their's,  were  busy  looking  for  the  texts 
referred  to  in  the  sermon.  His  method  of  cate- 
chising children  in  the  church,  and  of  speaking  to 
them  in  private,  was  very  engaging  and  useful. 
We  give  this  in  his  own»words: — "  As  to  instruct- 
ing children,  my  method  is  to  ask  them  easy  ques- 
tions, and  to  teach  them  easy  and  short  answers. 
The  Lord's  prayer  was  the  subject  of  our  last 
explanation.  In  some  such  manner  I  proceeded: 
Why  is  this  prayer  called  the  Lord's  prayer?  Be- 
cause our  Lord  taught  it. —  Why  is  Christ  called 
our  Lord?  Because  he  bought  us  with  his  blood. 
Why  does  he  teach  us  to  call  God  Father?  That 
we  may  go  to  him  as  children  to  a  fiither. — How 
do  children  go  to  God  as  a  father?  With  faith, 
not  doubting  but  he  will  give  them  what  they  want. 
Why  our  Father  in  heaven?  That  we  may  pray 
to  him  with  reverence. — What  is  meant  by  God's 
name?  God  himself,  and  all  his  perfections. — 
What  by  hallowed?  'I'hat  he  may  be  honoured 
and  glorified. — How  is  God  to  be  honoured?  In 
our  hearts,  with  our  tongues,  and  by  our  lives,  &lc. 


60 


LIFE  OP 


On  such  questions  I  endeavour  to  comprehend,  not 
all  that  may  be  said,  but  that  only  which  may  be 
level  to  their  capacities,  and  is  most  necessary  for 
them  to  know.  The  answer  to  each  question  I 
explain  in  the  most  familiar  manner  possible,  such 
a  manner  as  a  polite  hearer  might  treat  with  the 
most  sovereign  contempt;  I  use  little  similes,  that 
are  quite  low.  In  every  explanation  I  would  be 
short,  but  repeat  it  again  and  again;  tautology  in 
this  case  is  the  true  propriety  of  speaking  to  our 
little  auditors,  and  will  be  better  than  all  the  graces 
of  eloquence." 

He  would  at  these  times  ask  such  questions  as 
were  not  only  suitable  to  the  words  of  the  cate- 
chism, but  also  such  as  would  most  strike  at  the 
vices  of  his  parishioners.  Some  of  these  having 
lain  in  bed  on  a  Sabbath  morning  longer  than  he 
approved,  others  having  been  busy  in  foddering 
their  cattle  when  he  was  coming  to  church,  and 
several  having  frequented  the  ale-house,  he  thus 
catechised  one  of  the  children  before  the  congrega- 
tion:— "Repeat  me  the  fourth  commandment. — 
Now,  my  little  man,  do  you  understand  the  mean- 
ing of  this  command?  Yes,  Sir.  Then,  if  you 
do,  you  will  be  able  to  answer  me  these  questions : 
Do  those  keep  the  holy  Sabbath  day,  who  lie  in 
bed  till  eight  or  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning,  in- 
stead of  rising  to  say  their  prayers,  or  read  their 
Bibles  ?  No,  Sir.  Do  those  keep  the  Sabbath  who 
fodder  their  cattle  when  other  people  are  going  to 
church?  No,  Sir.  Does  God  Almighty  bless  such 
as  go  to  ale-houses  on  the  Sabbath,  and  do  not 
mind  the  instructions  of  their  minister?  No,  Sir. 
Do  those  who  love  God,  read  the  Bible  in  their 
families,  particularly  on  Sabbath  evening,  and  have 
prayers  every  morning  and  night  in  their  houses? 


EEV.   JAMES  HERVEY, 


61 


Yes,  Sir."  A  great  variety  of  such  pertinent  ques- 
tions he  would  frequently  ask,  in  the  most  familiar 
and  engaging  manner,  on  every  part  of  the  cate- 
chism, as  he  thought  most  conducive  to  the  im- 
provement and  editication  of  his  people.  Indeed, 
he  seems  to  have  paid  peculiar  attention  to  the 
lambs  of  the  flock.  We  have  many  instances  of 
this.  To  a  friend  he  writes: — "Your  dear  little 
ones,  the  olive  plants  about  your  table,  I  trust  are 
in  a  flourishing  state.  May  the  good  Lord  fulfil 
his  gracious  promises  to  them,  and  the  children  of 
your  honoured  neighbour.  May  he  pour  his  Spi- 
rit upon  your  seed,  and  his  blessing  upon  your 
offspring,  that  they  may  grow  up  (in  knowledge 
and  grace)  as  willows  by  the  water  courses."  To 
another  he  says:  "  I  have  just  been  giving  an  ex- 
hortation to  my  young  brethren:  I  have  warned 
them  to  remember  their  Creator  in  the  days  of 
their  youth.  My  thoughts  were  led  to  the  subject 
by  an  alarming  providence,  which  snatched  away 
one  of  their  companions  in  the  gaiety  of  youth. 
May  the  hand  of  the  Almighty  set  home  the  word 
of  his  ministers  !  May  young  persons  come,  in 
the  vigour  of  health,  to  the  feet  of  the  Redeemer, 
and  devote  their  warm  affections  to  his  service  ! 
And  O  may  the  preacher  himself  (then  a  young 
man)  both  lead  them  in  the  way,  and  encourage 
them  to  follow !" 

As  long  as  he  was  able,  he  catechised  the  chil- 
dren of  his  parishes  in  the  summer  season  in  the 
church,  on  the  catechism,  the  creed,  the  ten  com- 
mandments, and  the  Lord's  prayer.  He  was 
much  pleased  with  (as  he  says)  some  hopeful 
young  people,  who  came  together  to  visit  him  one 
afternoon.  He  introduced  a  discourse  on  growth 
in  grace,  and  settled  times  for  future  conferences 


62 


LIFE  OP 


with  them  on  divine  snbjecls.  He  used  to  recom- 
mend to  them  "  Henry's  Pleasantness  of  Religion," 
and  "  Jeniv's  Glorious  Victory  of  Chastity."  Of  this 
last  he  says :  "  It  is  a  pity  that  this  piece  is  not  more 
regarded  by  parents,  as  it  is,  perhaps,  the  best 
thing  of  its  size  ever  written  on  the  subject,  and 
ought  to  be  put  into  the  hands  of  all  young  peo- 
ple." Having  received  a  supply  of  Mason's  small 
Catechisms,  from  his  friend  Mr.  Ryland,  he  scat- 
tered them  among  his  young  people,  saying: 
"  Some  such  small  evangelical  treatises  are  much 
wanted."  He  particularly  recommended  to  the 
young  the  Book  of  God.  "  I  find,  (he  says)  from 
an  expression  in  your  letter,  that  you  read  the 
New  Testament  in  the  original.  Dear  Sir,  let  that 
book  be  your  bosom  friend  and  your  constant  com- 
panion. Wherewithal  shall  a  young  man  cleanse 
his  way?  but  by  taking  heed  to  himself,  accord- 
ing to  the  doctrine  and  example  of  his  most  holy 
Redeemer."  Again  he  writes:  "  My  dear  Sir,  lay 
up  a  stock  of  comfort,  get  your  graces  lively,  while 
animal  nature  blooms."  To  a  young  lady  he  writes ; 
"  I  am  pleased  not  a  little  to  hear  a  lady  of  your 
blooming  years  declare,  that  an  inquiry  relating  to 
everlasting  salvation,  has  taken  up  much  of  her 
thoughts.  Let  me  entreat  you  to  go  on  and  imi- 
tate that  excellent  woman,  whose  panegyric  is 
uttered  by  wisdom  and  truth  itself — '  Mary  hath 
chosen  that  good  part,  which  shall  not  be  taken 
from  her.'  "  For  the  sake  of  young  people,  as 
proper  historical  furniture  for  their  minds,  he  in- 
tended to  write  the  most  memorable  and  striking 
facts  of  the  four  ancient  monarchies,  calculated  to 
explain  the  prophecies  of  Scripture,  and  demon- 
strate their  exact  accomplishment;  with  succinct 
details  of  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  and  the  dis- 


BEV.     JAMES  HERVEY. 


63 


persion  of  the  Jews.  His  bad  health  and  death 
prevented  this. 

When  he  met  with  young  people  he  would  talk 
witii  them:  sometimes  he  saw  reason  to  reprove 
them  (as  when  he  saw  them  profaning  the  ^Sab- 
bath, by  playing  at  marbles,  (fee.)  in  his  gentle 
way,  telling  them  they  had  souls  to  be  saved  or 
lost.  He  talked  with  them  familiarly  about  reli- 
gion as  a  delightful  employment;  put  easy  ques- 
tions to  them ;  encouraged  them  occasionally  by 
little  presents,  and  thus  taught  them  an  amiable, 
cheerful,  and  generous  piety.  Indeed,  he  had  a 
very  happy  method  of  gaining  the  attention  of 
youth,  and  took  great  delight  in  talking  with  them  ; 
instances  of  which  were  long  remembered  by  his 
people  and  domestics.  It  is  well  known  that  Mr. 
Hervey's  health,  in  the  concluding  years  of  his 
life,  was  in  a  very  shattered  state;  it  was  then  his 
constant  practice  to  take  a  daily  airing  on  horse- 
back, when  the  weather  would  permit.  In  a  sub- 
ordinate care  of  his  health  he  did  not  forget  his 
business  of  doing  good.  When  he  met  with  young 
persons  in  these  excursions,  he  used  to  engage 
them  in  religious  conversation,  in  a  manner  pecu- 
liarly prepossessing,  urging  them  to  attend  to  the 
one  thing  needful.  When  he  perceived  a  disposi- 
tion to  attend  to  religion,  he  encouraged  it  by  the 
gift  of  Bibles  and  other  religious  books  suited  to 
iheir  age.  The  divine  blessing,  in  repealed  in- 
stances, rested  upon  his  exertions;  and  these  ca- 
sual interviews  were  the  means  of  making  more 
than  one  thoughtful  and  permanently  religious. 
One  of  the  seals  of  Mr.  Hervey's  labours  was  alive 
in  1811.  When  a  young  man,  at  work  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  Weston,  Mr.  Hervey  used  often, 
in  the  course  of  his  rides  to  visit  him.    He  was 


64 


LIFE  OF 


accustomed  to  dismount  from  his  horse,  hang  the 
bridle  on  his  arm,  and  in  the  most  familiar  and 
affectionate  manner,  recommend  to  him  attention 
to  the  concerns  of  his  soul.  The  young  man  was 
afterwards  clerk  to  Mr.  Hervey's  successor.  He, 
at  the  above  date,  was  a  member  of  the  Baptist 
Church  of  Northampton  ;  and  acknowledged,  with 
pleasure,  that  the  recollection  of  Mr.  Hervey's 
conversations  had  been  highly  beneficial  to  his 
spiritual  interests.  He  has  in  his  possession  a 
Bible  he  received  from  Mr.  Hervey.  We  only 
add,  it  is  incalculable  what  benefits  might  result 
from  ministers  following  the  example  of  Mr.  Her- 
vey in  this  particular. 

He  did  not  confine  his  teaching  to  God's  house, 
but  he  brought  it  home  to  people's  dwellings,  visit- 
ing them  from  house  to  house,  agreeably  to  the 
apostle's  pattern.  His  friend  Dr.  Doddridge  hints, 
that  Mr.  Hervey  was  peculiarly  diligent  in  this  ardu- 
ous part  of  ministerial  duty.  There  he  prudently 
and  seriously  inquired  into  the  state  of  their  souls, 
and  their  proceedings  in  their  families;  whether 
they  were  completely  furnished  with  saving  know- 
ledge, and  the  means  of  it,  the  Book  of  God  particu- 
larly, and  whether  they  were  careful  to  increase  it, 
by  allotting  a  daily  portion  of  their  time  for  reading 
the  Scriptures ;  whether  their  children  were  cate- 
chised, and  their  servants  instructed;  whether  they 
were  constant  in  family  worship,  and  at  their  closet- 
devotions;  how  they  spent  the  Sabbath-day,  &c. 
Into  these,  and  other  points  of  the  like  nature,  he 
would  prudently  and  kindly  examine,  and  exhort 
them  to  amend  what  was  amiss,  and  encourage 
them  to  persevere  in  that  which  was  good.  After 
he  was  unable  to  visit  them  at  their  own  houses, 
he  encouraged  them  to  come  to  him,  and  to  con- 


REV.   JAMES   HERVEY.  65 

verse  freely  on  the  subjects  relating  to  their  eternal 
interests;  and  on  such  occasions,  he  would  speak 
with  a  force  and  propriety  peculiar  to  himself.  He 
also  diliffenlly,  according  to  his  ability,  visiled  the 
sick.  AV' ithal,  he  took  heed  to  himself.  Though 
he  sometimes  met  with  ungrateful  and  provoking 
usage,  he  was  usually  meek,  and,  like  his  Master, 
returned  blessing  for  cursing.  Thus  he  says: 
"  To  overcome  the  perverseness  of  our  people  by 
unwearied  kindness,  to  dissipate  their  blindness  by 
incessant  instructions,  and  to  work  out  their  vices 
by  ceaseless,  but  tender  persuasions ;  this  is  the  true 
glory  and  excellency  of  a  Christian  minister;  this 
is  that  happy  spirit,  and  that  truly  pastoral  practice, 
which,  if  I  could  obtain,  I  should  bless  the  day 
wherein  I  was  born."  He  was  courteous  and  con- 
descending, and  would  stoop  with  cheerfulness  to 
the  lowest  person  in  his  parish.  He  was  not  tri- 
fling or  ludicrous,  but  aff'able  and  kind,  seeking  to 
please  not  himself,  but  his  neighbours,  for  their 
good  to  editicalion.  He  maintained  a  uniform 
gravity  of  behaviour.  Even  his  enemies  confessed 
that  his  life  was  a  fair  and  beautiful  transcript  of 
his  doctrine,  such  as  might  remind  men  of,  and  be 
daily  reinforcing,  his  instructions.  As  far  as  hu- 
man infirmities  did  permit,  he  strove  to  be  unblame- 
able  and  iinreproveable,  that  he  might  renew  the 
aposde's  charge,  "  Be  ye  followers  of  me,  even  as 
1  am  of  Christ;"  and  he  could  humbly  make  his 
appeal,  "  Ye  are  witnesses,  and  God  also,  how 
holily,  atid  justly,  and  unblameably,  I  have  behaved 
myself  among  you.''  He  endeavoured  to  leave  a 
savour  of  the  knowledge  of  Christ  in  every  private 
company ;  and  it  appeared  from  all  his  conversa- 
tion, that  the  affections  of  his  heart,  and  the  labours 
6 


66 


LIFE  OF 


of  his  life,  were  wholly  devoted  to  the  honour  and 
interest  of  his  adored  Kedeemer. 

From  the  above  it  will  appear  that  Mr.  Hervey 
was  a  truly  conscientious  and  diligent  pastor. 
Among  other  causes  of  this,  we  may  reckon  his 
warm  love  to  the  souls  of  his  people.  This  he 
expresses  in  the  following  words: — "I  thank  you 
for  your  affectionate  wishes.  I  endeavour  not  to 
be  behind  hand  with  my  people  in  the  exercise  of 
love.  You  are  always  on  my  heart,  and  often, 
often  mentioned  in  my  prayers,  especially  that  you 
may  be  partakers  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  feel  all 
those  saving  convictions  which  are  described  by 
our  Lord,  John  xvi.  8 — 11;  that  you  may  be  in- 
terested in  the  new  covenant,  and  enjoy  all  those 
precious  privileges  which  were  purchased  for  us 
by  our  dying  Saviour,  and  are  recorded  by  his 
apostle,  Heb.  viii.  10 — 12.  1  accoinpany  my  for- 
mer labours  with  my  repeated  prayers,  and  bear 
my  little  flock  on  my  supplicating  and  affectionate 
heart  all  the  day  long.  O  that  the  gracious  God 
may  fulfil  in  them  all  the  good  pleasure  of  his  will, 
and  his  work  of  faith  with  power.  The  way  to 
secure  the  love  of  others,  is  to  love  them,  to  pray 
for  them,  and  with  a  willing  assiduity  to  set  forward 
their  true  happiness.  This,  whenever  I  was  among 
them,  my  people  will  confess,  I  did  notecase  to  do. 
And  the  God  of  heaven  knows  I  daily  bear  them 
on  my  heart,  and  often  recommend  them  to  the 
tenderest  mercies  of  our  everlasting  Father. 

At  Mr.  Whitefield's  desire,  and  with  his  father's 
concurrence,  Mr.  Hervey  went  through  the  parish 
of  Weston  several  times,  and  conversed  with  the 
people  about  the  concerns  of  their  souls;  in  these 
services  he  thought  he  had  considerable  success. 


REV.    JAMES  HERVEY. 


G7 


He  also  set  up  an  evening  catechetical  lecture  at 
Weston  or  Collingtree.  On  this  he  says :  "  1  hope 
my  evening  assembhes  are  and  will  be  prospered. 
I  have  had  comfortable  assurances  that  the  sanctify- 
ing Spirit  has  been  among  us,  and  blessed  my 
discourses  to  the  edifying  of  the  hearers.  Thanks 
be  to  God  for  his  unspeakable  gift.  I  have  some 
I'rom  two  parishes  beside  our  own  that  attend  upon 
my  Utile  catechetical  lecture;  and  if  (as  you  say)  I 
am  to  have  some  from  Northampton  also,  what  an 
important  person  will  God  Almighty  make  me !" 
In  1736  he  left  Oxford,  and  became  his  father's 
curate  in  Collingtree.  Here  he  lived  very  happily, 
He  says  of  the  people,  "  'i'hey  love  me,  and  love 
my  doctrine,  and  long  for  the  pure  milk  of  the 
word.  O  that  their  precious  souls  were  as  firmly 
united  to  Christ,  as  their  favourable  opinion  is 
secured  to  me!"  Having  occasion  to  visit  them, 
after  he  was  settled  at  Weston,  he  remarks  to  a 
correspondent,  "It  would  have  pleased  you  to  have 
observed  how  glad  the  honest  folks  were  to  see 
their  old  curate ;  and  why  were  they  glad  ?  for  no 
other  reason,  that  I  can  conceive,  but  because  I 
used  to  converse  with  them  in  private,  just  as  I 
spoke  to  them  from  the  pulpit,  and  endeavoured, 
at  every  interview,  to  set  forward  their  eternal  sal- 
vation. This  I  find  is  the  grand  secret  to  win  the 
affections  of  a  flock."  He  afterwards  accepted  the 
curacy  of  Dummer,  in  Hampsliire.  Here  he  lived 
among  a  poor  illiterate  people,  where  his  friend 
Mr.  Whitefield  had  been  before.  While  in  this 
place,  the  people  of  Collingtree  sent  him  a  pressing 
invitation  to  return,  upon  which  he  wrote  them  an 
excellent  letter,  as  to  the  choice  of  a  minister." 
Here  he  continued  about  twelve  months,  when  he 
was  invited  to  Stoke-Abbey,  in  Devonsliire,  the 


68 


LIFE  OF 


seat  of  his  worthy  college  acquaintance,  Paul  Or- 
chard, Esq.  In  this  pleasant  place,  and  worthy 
family,  he  was  very  happy,  and  lived  upwards  of 
two  years  in  great  esteem  and  friendship.  The 
following  agreement  between  Messrs.  Hervey  and 
Orchard  deserves  preservation: — 

Agreement  between  Paul  Orchard,  Esq.  and  Mr.  Hervey. 

"  We,  the  underwritten,  whom  God's  providence 
has  wonderfully  brought  acquainted  with  each  other, 
for  the  purposes,  no  doubt,  of  piety  and  everlasting 
salvation,  sensible  how  blind  and  corrupt  our  nature 
is,  how  forward  to  fall  into  errors  and  iniquities, 
but  how  backward  to  discern  or  amend  them ; 
knowing  also  the  great  advantage  of  kind  and  affec- 
tionate, but,  at  the  same  time,  sincere  and  impartial 
reproof  and  admonition,  do  oblige  ourselves  to 
watch  over  each  other's  conduct,  conversation,  and 
tempers ;  and  whenever  we  perceive  any  thing 
amiss  therein,  any  duty  ill  done,  or  not  done  so 
well  as  it  ought,  any  thing  omitted  which  might 
be  for  our  spiritual  good,  or  practised  which  will 
tend  to  our  spiritual  hurt;  in  fine,  any  thing  prac- 
tised or  neglected,  which  we  shall  wish  to  have 
been  otherwise  in  a  dying  hour — all  tliis  we  will 
watch  to  observe,  never  fail  to  reprove,  and  earnest- 
ly endeavour  to  correct  in  each  other,  that  so  we 
may  have  nothing  to  upbraid  one  another  with  when 
we  meet  in  the  eternal  state.  We  resolve  to  do  all 
this  with  the  utmost  plainness,  and  all  honest  free- 
dom; and,  provided  it  be  done  with  tenderness, 
with  apparent  good  will,  and  in  private,  we  will 
esteem  it  as  the  greatest  kindness  we  can  show, 
the  truest  interest  of  sincere  friendship  that  we  can 
exercise,  and  the  only  way  of  answering  the  gra- 
cious ends  of  Almighty  wisdom  in  bringing  us  to- 


REV.  JAMESHERVEY. 


69 


gether.  In  witness  and  confirmation  of  which 
resolution,  we  here  subscribe  oiir  names, 

"  Paul  Orchard, 
"  James  Hervey. 

"  November  28,  1738." 

While  here,  he  was  attacked  with  that  weakness 
j    of  constitution  which  never  left  him.    He  used  to 
take  excursions  for  his  health  into  Cornwall ;  when, 
he  says  he  saw  the  wondrous  works  of  God,  roaring 
seas  and  rugged  rocks,  stretching  out  to  the  ocean. 

When  Mr.  Orchard's  eldest  son  (to  whom  he 
dedicated  the  second  volume  of  his  Meditations) 
was  to  be  baptized,  he  insisted  that  Mr.  Hervey 
should  be  one  of  the  godfathers,  that  he  might  have 
an  eye  to  his  Christian  education.  Through  life 
he  took  a  deep  interest  in  the  spiritual  welfare  of 
this  family.*  For  the  education  of  this  young 
gentleman  he  was  particularly  anxious.  So  he 
writes  to  his  mother:  "  Pray  present  my  tender 
love  and  most  affectionate  blessing,  to  my  dear  lit- 
tle godson.  I  want  to  know  how  far  he  has  got  in 
his  book;  whether  he  is  perfect  in  his  catechism, 
and  takes  pleasure  in  offering  up  his  prayers  to 
God  every  night  and  morning?  1  hope  he  still  re- 
members who  it  was  that  walked  upon  the  sea 
(which  Mr.  Hervey  probably  had  told  him;)  who 
it  was  that  made  him  and  all  the  world.  I  am 
delighted  with  your  endeavours  to  bring  him,  like 
that  illustrious  youth  celebrated  by  the  apostle,  ac- 
quainted with  the  Scriptures  from  a  child.  As  he 
constantly  reads  the  Psalms  and  chapters,  I  often 
think  of  him  when  our  family  is  employed  in  the 
same  manner,  and  breathe  a  humble  petition,  that 
the  mercies  implored,  or  the  happiness  promised, 
may  not  be  my  portion  only,  but  his  and  your's." 

*  See  Letters  published  by  Colonel  Burgess. 


70 


LIFE  OF 


He  modestly  desires  her,  often  to  endeavour  to 
make  him  sensible  of  the  greatness  of  God;  that 
this  glorious  God  sees  him  in  every  place;  that  he 
is  to  live  but  a  very  little  while  here  below ;  that  he 
is  a  sinner,  and  therefore  unworthy  of  the  heavenly 
felicity,  but  Christ  Jesus  has  died  for  the  pardon  of 
his  offences. 

In  1740,  he  undertook  the  charge  of  Bideford, 
fourteen  miles  from  Stoke-Abey,  where  he  lived 
greatly  beloved  by  all  the  people.  His  congrega- 
tion was  large,  but  his  stipend  was  small;  his 
friends,  therefore,  made  a  collection  yearly,  which 
raised  his  income  to  60/.  Yet  this,  with  an  allow- 
ance he  had  received  from  his  father,  was  often  in- 
sufficient for  his  support,  owing  to  the  unbounded 
benevolence  of  his  disposition,  which  prompted 
him  to  give  more  than  he  could  properly  afford. 
This  led  some  of  his  kind  friends  at  Bideford  to 
practise  an  innocent  deception  upon  him,  by  bor- 
rowing money  from  him  when  he  received  his 
salary;  this  they  kept  till  they  knew  Mr.  Hervey 
stood  in  need  of  it,  and  then  they  returned  it  to  him. 
Here  he  planned  and  partly  executed  his  Medita- 
tions and  Contemplations.  His  meditations  among 
the  Tombs,  and  the  Reflections  on  a  Flower  Gar- 
den, were  principally  written  at  Bideford.  It  was  a 
ride  from  that  place  to  Kilhampton,  in  Cornwall, 
which  suggested  the  former;  and  the  latter  were  in 
part  composed  in  the  summer-house  of  a  pleasant 
garden,  belonging  to  the  family  with  whom  he 
lodged. 

Upon  his  coming  to  Bideford,  he  says,  "  I  find 
well  disposed  people  in  these  parts ;  they  have 
turned  their  faces  Zion-ward,  and  seem  to  have  a 
desire  and  longing  to  enter  into  the  Jerusalem  that 
is  above.    These  persons  are  not  displeased  with 


4 


REV.   JAMES  HERVEY. 


71 


my  company,  and  court  my  stay,  if  so,  I  may  he  a 
guide  to  them  who  seek  Jesus  who  was  crucified. 
O  that  I  could  admire  the  free  condescending  good- 
ness of  God!  He  has  no  need  of  a  poor  polhited 
worm;  he  has  nobler  ministers  to  perform  his  good 
pleasure;  and  will  he  magnify  his  grace  by  em- 
ploying so  vile  an  instrument?  Will  he  execute  his 
work,  his  most  important  and  most  glorious  work, 
of  converting  souls,  by  the  hand  of  a  wretched  sin- 
ner? 0  help  me  to  adore  his  mercy!" 

Here  he  began  to  preach  evangelically.  He 
had,  at  the  different  places  where  he  was  stationed 
before,  preached  in  a  legal  strain;  but  in  two  ser- 
mons on  Rom.  v.  19,  usually  called  at  Bideford  his 
Recantation  Sermons,  he  plainly  and  delightfully 
avows  his  evangelical  sentiments.*  His  conver- 
sation with  some  poor  but  very  pious  people  about 
Bideford,  was  one  cause  of  the  change  of  his 
views. 

In  the  discharge  of  his  pastoral  duties  here,  Mr. 
Hervey  Avas  very  exemplary.  He  preached  twice 
every  Lord's  day ;  and  on  Tuesdays  and  Fridays 
he  took  occasion  to  expound  part  of  the  first  or 
second  lesson,  except  when  he  catechised  the  chil- 
dren,  and  then  he  confined  his  instructions  to  a 
famdiar  explanation  of  the  church  catechism  ;  the 
remainder  of  his  time  he  devoted  to  study  or  con- 
versation. His  acquaintance  was  select;  among 
them  was  a  young  man,  who  was  son  of  the  parish 
clerk,  and  a  most  excellent  mathematician:  his 
name  was  Doun.  From  him  Mr.  Hervey  acquired 
a  considerable  knowledge  of  astronomy.  He  died 
at  the  age  of  twenty-four,  and  his  funeral  sermon 
was  preached  by  Mr.  Hervey,  who  improved  the 

*  Afterwards  publislied  by  the  late  Rev.  Mr.  Toplady, 
in  1769,  and  now  printed  in  his  works. 


72 


LIFE  OF 


melancholy  occasion  in  a  very  affecting  manner.* 
In  this  place  he  formed  a  religious  society,  which 
continued  above  forty  years  after  his  departure  from 
Bideford.  Here  we  may  take  occasion  to  observe, 
that,  like  his  friend  Mr.  Walker,  of  Truro,  he 
greatly  encouraged  such  associations. — Writing  to 
one  of  his  Bideford  friends,  he  remarks,  "  1  am 
glad  to  find  that  you,  and  ,  and  ,  of- 
ten meet  together,  and  like  the  people  mentioned 
by  the  prophet,  speak  one  to  another  of  the  things 
of  God.  O  let  us  exhort  one  another  to  faith,  love, 
and  good  works ;  and  so  much  the  more,  as  we 
see  the  day  of  eternal  judgment  approaching.  Let 
me  not  be  forgotten  in  your  little  society,  when  the 
Lord  Jesus  is  in  the  midst  of  you,  speaking  peace 
to  your  consciences,  showing  you  his  hands  and 
his  side."  Meeting  with  some  reproach  for  his 
activity  in  setting  up  these,  he  says,  "  As  a  fellow 
member  of  your  meetings,  and  a  joint  engager  in 
your  schemes  for  reviving  religion  and  a  reformed 
age ;  a  character  I  am  so  far  from  being  ashamed 
of,  that  I  am  only  ashamed  of  my  scanty  abilities 
to  answer  it,  and  of  the  poor  inconsiderable  assis- 
tance which  I  am  able  to  contribute  to  so  worthy 
an  attempt." 

While  in  this  place,  the  following  incidents  hap- 

*  The  following'  notes  of  a  sermon,  preached  on  this  oc- 
casion, deserve  to  be  recorded: — "He  that  taught  you  to 
find  your  way  through  the  trackless  ocean,  is  himself  pas- 
sed  into  the  invisible  world,  and  landed  on  the  eternal 
shores.  He  that  taught  you  to  speculate  the  skies,  and 
observe  the  celestial  bodies,  is  gone  to  a  distance,  vastly 
more  remote  and  immeasurable  than  their's.  O  that  you 
would  lay  this  his  last  remove  to  heart,  as  diligently 
as  you  did  his  principles  of  navigation,  in  your  memory. 
The  same  change  must  take  place  in  you;  and,  in  a  little 
time,  you  must  make  your  last  voyage." 


REV.    JAMES    HERVEY.  73 

pened: — On  a  Sabbath-day,  as  lie  was  preacliing, 
(we  use  his  own  words,)  a  "boy  came  running 
into  the  church  breatliless  andtrembhng,  He  told, 
but  in  a  low  voice,  those  who  stood  near,  that  a 
press-gang  was  advancing  to  besiege  the  doors,  and 
arrest  the  sailors.  An  alarm  was  immediately 
taken.  The  seamen,  with  much  hurry,  and  no 
small  anxiety,  began  to  shift  for  themselves.  The 
rest  of  the  congregation,  perceiving  an  unusual 
stir,  were  struck  with  surprise.  A  whisper  of  in- 
quiry ran  from  seat  to  seat,  which  increased  by  de- 
grees into  a  confused  murmur.  No  one  could  in- 
form his  neighbour ;  therefore  every  one  was  left 
to  solve  the  appearance  from  the  suggestions  of  a 
timorous  imagination.  Some  suspected  the  town 
was  on  fire ;  some  were  apprehensive  of  an  inva- 
sion from  the  Spaniards ;  others  looked  up,  and 
looked  round,  to  see  if  the  walls  were  not  giving 
way,  and  the  roof  falling  upon  their  heads.  In  a 
few  moments  the  consternation  became  general. 
The  men  stood  like  statues  in  silent  amazement 
and  unavailing  perplexity :  the  women  shrieked 
aloud,  and  fell  into  fits.  Nothing  was  seen  but 
wild  disorder ;  nothing  was  heard  but  tumultuous 
clamour.  The  preacher's  voice  was  drowned : 
had  he  spoken  in  thunder,  his  message  would 
scarcely  have  been  regarded.  To  have  gone  on 
with  his  work,  amidst  such  a  prodigious  ferment, 
had  been  like  arguing  with  a  whirlwind,  or  talking 
to  a  tempest.  This  brought  to  my  mind  that  great 
tremendous  day,  when  the  heavens  will  pass  away, 
when  the  earth  will  be  dissolved,  and  ail  the  inha- 
bitants receive  their  final  doom.  If,  at  such  inci- 
dents of  very  inferior  dread,  our  hearts  are  ready 
to  fail,  what  unknown  and  inconceivable  astonish- 
ment must  seize  the  guilty  conscience,  when  the 
7 


74 


LIFE  OF 


hand  oflhe  Almighty  shall  open  those  unparalleled 
scenes  of  wonder,  desolation,  and  horror :  when 
the  trumpet  shall  soimd,  the  dead  rise,  the  world 
be  in  flames,  the  Judge  on  the  throne,  and  all  man- 
kind at  the  bar.  Surely  then,  the  main  care  of 
our  lives  should  be  to  obtain  peace  and  acceptance 
before  the  dreadful  tribunal  of  God.  And  what 
is  sufficient  for  this  purpose  but  righteousness  ! — 
the  most  perfect  obedience,  and  meritorious  satis- 
faction of  Christ,  wrought  for  us,  and  applied  to 
us  ?"  Upon  this  he  excellendy  improves  and  en- 
larges in  Theron  and  Aspasio. 

On  March  2,  1741,  he  writes  to  a  friend:  "You 
have  heard,  I  do  not  doubt,  that  Mr.  Nichols,  my 
rector,  is  no  more ;  who  will  succeed  him  is  yet  a 
secret.  Many,  I  believe,  are  eagerly  wishing  for 
it,  as  a  place  of  considerable  profit;  and  few,  per- 
haps, solicitously  considering  whether  they  are 
equal  to  the  discharge  of  so  difficult  and  important 
a  service.  But  hold  my  pen  !  what  have  I  to  do 
to  judge  others?  let  it  be  all  my  care  to  approve 
myself  faithful  in  my  appointed  station."  Here 
he  was  curate  two  years  and  a  half,  when  he  was 
dismissed  by  the  new  incumbent,  against  the  uni- 
ted request  of  the  parishioners,  who  offered  to 
maintain  him  at  their  own  expense.  Mr.  Hervey 
was  uncommonly  attached  to  this  people,  as  they 
also  were  to  him.  While  with  them,  he  says,  "  I 
live  in  the  very  heart  of  the  town.  O  that  the 
town,  and  the  immortal  interests  of  its  inhabitants 
may  be  ever  on  my  heart;  may  I  covet  no  other 
prosperity,  and  pursue  no  other  happiness  than  to 
be  an  instrument  of  doing  them  some  spiritual 
good,  than  to  see  my  parishioners  walking  in  the 
truth."  Again  he  writes,  "  I  wish  you  and  Mrs. 
 abundance  of  edification  from  Mr.  Erskine's 


REV.  JAMES  HERVEY. 


75 


Sermons,  which  I  sent  you.  I  hope  I  shall  never 
forget  niy  dear  people  of  Bideford;  I  sliall  bear 
thein  upon  my  heart  when  I  retire  into  my  study 
for  reading,  when  I  walk  solitary  in  the  fields  for 
exercise,  and  when  I  bend  my  knees  before  the 
God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  After 
he  left  Bideford,  he  sent  his  people  many  copies  of 
his  works;  dispersed  other  religious  books  among 
them,  sent  to  the  poor  liberal  supplies  of  money, 
and  the  collection  of  Promises  he  had  selected  and 
printed.  Of  this  he  says,  "  We  paste  them  at  the 
beginning  and  end  of  our  Bibles,  that  like  a  little 
vial  of  cordial  drops,  distilled  from  (he  well  of  life, 
they  may  be  always  at  hand  to  refresh  our  souls, 
and  enliven  our  faith." 

In  1743,  he  returned  to  Weston-Favel,  and  offi- 
ciated as  curate  to  his  father,  at  Collingtrce. 

In  May  12,  1750,  Mr.  Hervey  speaks  with  much 
pleasure  of  a  visit  he  had  from  his  friend  White- 
field,  either  at  Weston  or  Northampton.  "  This 
indefatigable  preacher  of  the  everlasting  gospel 
delivered  his  message  under  the  canopy  of  the 
skies,  and  in  the  midst  of  a  numerous  and  attentive 
audience.  Dr.  Doddridge.  Dr.  Stonehouse,  an- 
other doctor  of  physic,  Dr.  Hartley,  a  worthy 
clergyman,  and  your  late  curate,  were  on  his  right 
hand  and  on  his  left.  The  text  was,  '  "Ve  are  the 
temples  of  the  living  God.'  He  showed  himself 
a  workman  that  need  not  be  ashamed,  rightly 
dividing  the  word  of  truth.  He  dealt  out  to  saints 
and  sinners  their  portion  in  due  season.  All  the 
hearers  hung  on  his  lips,  and  many  were  visibly 
impressed  by  the  power  of  his  doctrine.  May  the 
Omnipotent  and  Eternal  Husbandman  prosper  the 
seed  sown,  and  make  it  productive  of  sound  faith 
and  vital  holiness."    A  little  after  his  removal  to 


76 


LIFE  OF 


Weston,  he  writes  to  Mr.  Orchard:  "I  am  in  my 
present  situation  like  a  person  retired  from  the 
noise  and  hurry  of  a  market,  to  the  silence  and  rest 
of  a  recluse's  •cell.  In  the  parish  I  now  serve,  I 
have  not  had  so  much  occasional  duty  through  the 
course  of  a  whole  year,  as  used  to  occur  formerly 
in  every  week.  My  sphere  of  action  is  contracted, 
and  only  one  talent  committed  to  my  charge ;  O 
that  I  may  be  faithful  in  this  little !  that  one  day  I 
may  receive  my  great  Master's  approbation,  and 
be  bidden  to  enter  the  joy  of  my  Lord."  Here 
we  cannot  help  remarking  the  wisdom  of  Provi- 
dence, in  frequently  placing  men  of  superior  abili- 
ties in  small  charges.  Had  Mr.  Hervey  been 
placed  in  a  station  more  public  and  eminent  than 
Weston-Favel,  it  is  highly  probable  he  would  have 
been  less  diffusively  useful.  In  this  small  charge 
he  got  time  to  compose  his  elaborate  works,  The- 
ron  and  Aspasio,  and  Aspasio  Vindicated. 

In  June,  1750,  his  health  being  much  impaired 
by  his  great  attention  to  duty,  and  his  friends  judg- 
ing that  the  change  of  air  might  be  of  benefit  to 
him,  they  formed  a  design,  which  they  executed, 
of  conveying  him  to  London,  under  a  pretence  of 
riding  a  few  miles  in  a  friend's  post-chaise,  who 
was  going  thither.  Of  this  he  pleasantly  com- 
plains in  a  letter,  upon  his  arrival  there,  which  be- 
gins thus : 

"  My  dear  friend, 

"  If  you  chide,  I  must  accuse.  Pray  where  was 
your  warrant,  where  your  commission,  to  impress 
me  into  this  journey  ?  However,  as  a  good  Chris- 
tian, I  forgive  you  and  your  accomplices."  After 
commending  several  clergymen,  his  friends,  whom 
he  saw  on  the  road,  he  concludes  thus  :  "  My 
animal  nature  is  so  very  feeble,  that  I  can  find  no 


BEV.    JAMES  HERVEY. 


77 


benefit  from  the  change  of  air,  nor  from  the  enjoy- 
ment of  the  most  pleasant  society."  He  remain- 
ed in  London  from  June,  1750,  to  April  or  May, 
1752.  During  this  period  he  writes  to  a  friend; 
I  I  have  been  at  or  near  London  for  more  than  a 
'  year,  unable  to  execute  the  business  of  my  minis- 
terial office,  and  lingering  away  life,  partly  at  my 
brotlier's,  and  partly  among  friends;  inexpressibly 
obliged  to  a  gracious  Providence,  that  though  in- 
capable of  earning  any  thing,  I  want  no  manner  of 
thing  that  is  good."  While  for  almost  two  years 
in  London,  he  appears  to  have  been  seldom  em- 
ployed in  public  work ;  indeed,  the  extreme  weak- 
ness of  his  body  rendered  him  quite  unfit  for  it. 
But  he  was  not  idle;  here  he  corresponded  with 
some  religious  friends,  composed  his  remarks  on 
Bolingbroke's  Letters,  enlarged  and  corrected  his 
Meditations,  and  wrote  part  of  Theron  and  As- 
pasio.  Being  suddenly  taken  from  his  beloved 
charge,  the  parish  of  Collingtree,  he  sent  them  his 
advice  in  the  following  words: — "My  departure 
from  Northampton  was  sudden  and  unexpected; 
could  I  have  seen  my  people,  and  given  them  my 
parting  advice,  it  should  have  been  in  the  words  of 
that  good  man  Barnabas,  who  exhorted  all  the  dis- 
ciples, that  with  purpose  of  heart  they  should 
cleave  unlo  the  Lord.  Cleave,  my  dear  friends, 
to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Cleave  to  his  word ; 
let  the  word  of  Christ  dwell  in  you  richly,  and  be 
your  meditation  all  the  day  long.  Let  the  Bible, 
that  inestimable  book,  be  ofien  in  your  hand,  and 
its  precious  truths  in  your  thoughts.  Thus  let  us 
sit,  with  holy  men,  at  the  feet  of  Jesus,  and  I  hope 
you  will  experience  his  word  to  drop  as  the  rain, 
and  distil  as  the  dew.  Cleave  (o  his  merits; 
fly  to  his  divine  blood  for  pardon,  t  is  the  fountain 


78 


LIFE  OP 


opened  for  sin  and  for  uncleanness.  It  purges 
from  all  guilt,  and  takes  away  all  sin ;  and  blessed 
be  God,  it  is  always  open,  always  free  of  accessi 
Fly  to  his  rigliteousness  ;  let  us  renounce  our  own, 
and  rely  on  his  obedience  :  what  unprofitable  ser- 
vants are  we  1  how  slothful  is  our  whole  life  !  how 
imperfect  in  every  work  !  But  as  for  Christ,  his 
work  is  perfect ;  it  is  complete,  and  infinitely  mer- 
itorious. In  this  shall  all  the  seed  of  Israel,  all 
true  believers,  be  justified,  and  in  this  shall  they 
glory.  Cleave  to  his  Spirit;  seek  for  the  Divine 
Spirit.  Cry  mightily  to  God  for  the  Divine 
Spirit.  Let  them  that  have  it  pray  that  they  may 
have  it  more  abundantly,  and  be  even  filled  with 
the  Spirit.  This  blessed  Spirit  reveals  Christ, 
strengthens  faith,  quickens  love,  and  purifies  the 
heart.  Christ  died  to  obtain  this  Spirit  for  us  ;  he 
intercedes  for  us,  that  we  may  receive  it ;  and  his 
heavenly  Father,  for  his  sake  has  promised,  (0 
glorious  privilege  !)  to  give  it  more  readily  than  a 
parent  gives  bread  to  a  hungry  child.  Cleave  to 
his  example  ;  study  his  holy  life,  eye  his  unblame- 
able  conduct,  observe  his  amiable  temper;  look  to 
this  heavenly  pattern,  as  those  who  learn  to  write 
look  to  their  copy  ;  and  God  grant  that  we  all,  with 
open  face,  beholding  the  glory  of  the  Lord,  may 
be  changed  into  the  same  image  from  glory  to  glory, 
even  by  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord.  Thus  let  us  cleave 
to  Christ  the  Lord — cleave  v;itli  full  purpose  of 
heart,  incessantly,  closely,  inseparably.  Let  us 
say  with  our  father  Jacob,  I  will  not  let  thee  go. 
In  the  happy,  happy  mansions  above,  may  we, 
and  many,  very  many  of  my  dear  flock,  meet,  and 
never  be  parted  more." 

While  in  London,  Mr.  Hervey  lodged  for  some 
time  with  his  brother  in  Miles's-lane.    There  it 


REV.   JAMES  HEEVEY. 


79 


pleased  liis  Heavenly  Father  to  superadd  to  his 
other  infirmities,  a  violent  fever,  which  confined 
him  for  eight  weeks,  and  brought  him  to  the  brink 
of  the  grave.  On  this  occasion  Mr.  William  Her- 
vey,  witli  whom  he  lodged,  wrote  as  follows  to 
one  of  his  intimate  friends: — "  My  brother  is  in- 
deed an  example  of  patience.  He  has  not  spoken, 
during  the  whole  period  of  his  severe  illness,  one 
single  word  of  peevishness.  I  am  persuaded  he 
prays  for  you,  now  he  lies  sick  upon  his  bed." 
Afterward,  the  family  was  visited  with  a  very 
alarming  providence ;  a  fire  broke  out  in  a  house 
which  communicated  with  that  of  his  brother.  On 
this  terrifying  occasion,  he  caught  such  a  cold  (be- 
ing obliged  to  wade  through  the  water  in  order  to 
escape  the  fire)  as  confined  him  to  his  chamber  for 
several  weeks.  Of  this  event  he  remarks  :  "  It  put 
me  in  mind  of  that  tremendous  day,  when  the  hea- 
vens shall  pass  away  willi  a  great  noise,  when  the 
elements  shall  melt  with  fervent  heat,  and  the  earth 
and  the  works  that  are  therein  shall  be  burnt  up." 
One  of  the  winters  that  he  stayed  in  London,  he 
lodged  at  the  house  of  his  good  friend  Mr.  White- 
field,  in  Tottenham-court  Road :  here  he  was  very 
happy.  In  a  letter  to  Mrs.  Whitefield,  when  at 
Bristol,  he  uses  a  little  pleasantry,  and  writes  to 
her:  "  This  leaves  your  family  in  good  health, 
and  me,  whom  you  appoint  steward,  like  Gideon's 
soldiers,  faint,  yet  pursuing;  faint  with  bodily  lan- 
guors, but  following  after  that  amiable,  adorable 
God,  whose  loving-kindness  is  better  than  life. 
We  go  on  comfortably,  want  for  nothing  but  your 
company.  Mr.  Cruttenden  says,  I  live  like  a  king, 
and  dine  every  day  in  state.  I  tell  him,  No,  I 
am  nothing  more  tlian  lord  high-steward  of  your 
majesty's  household;  but  since  he  will  have  it  that 


80 


LIFE  OF 


I  am  a  monarch,  I  this  clay  begin  to  act  in  charac- 
ter, and  commanded  and  charged  our  trusty  and 
well-beloved  Robert  Cruttenden,  Esq.  not  to  be 
wanting  in  his  attendance  on  our  royal  person.  I 
hope  my  friend's  jest  is  a  good  omen.  I  hope  we 
shall  be  kings  to  our  God,  and  reign  over  the  re- 
bels within,  and  tread  the  world  under  our  feet, 
and  sit  in  heavenly  places  with  our  exalted  and 
royal  Head,  Christ  Jesus."  To  this  he  afterwards 
refers,  in  a  letter  to  Mr.  Whitefield:  "  I  often  think 
of  the  delightful  winter  I  passed  at  the  Tabernacle, 
think  of  that  with  pleasure,  but  with  shame  and 
anguish,  on  my  non-improvement  of  such  oppor- 
tunities. O  what  could  such  a  wretch  do,  without 
an  all-sufficient,  all-perfect,  all-meritorious  Saviour? 
Blessed  be  God  for  millions  of  mercies,  but  above 
all,  blessed  be  his  adorable  name  for  Jesus  Christ !" 
While  in  the  Metropolis,  he  was  visited  by  Dr. 
Gill,  and  declares  it  was  his  own  fault,  if  he  reaped 
not  much  advantage  by  his  conversation.  He  also 
there,  for  the  tirst  time,  heard  Mr.  Romaine,  To 
his  correspondent  he  gives  an  account  of  the  text 
I  and  sermon,  and  wishes  much  success  to  him  in 
explaining  the  gospel  to  his  thronged  auditories. 

Upon  his  father's  death.  May,  1752,  Mr.  Her- 
vey  returned  to  Weston.  He  mentions  this  to  a 
friend  in  these  words :  "  It  has  pleased  God  to 
take  my  father  to  himself ;  on  which  account  I  am 
obliged  to  remove  to  Northamptonshire,  and,  if  I 
can  bear  the  journey,  and  undergo  the  fatigue,  to 
take  the  living  of  Weston.  May  it  convince  me 
more  thoroughly  that  I  am  a  stranger  and  a  so- 
journer below  !  and  may  our  affections  be  there, 
where  our  true  home  and  everlasting  inheritance 
lie  !"  Ere  he  entered  on  his  ministry,  as  Rector 
there,  he  met  with  some  distressing  difhculties.  He 


REV,   JAMES  HERVEY. 


81 


saj's  to  a  friend,  "  I  am  under  the  neeessit)"-  of 
taking  a  living,  though  I  am  inexpressibly  weak. 
See  how  diorny  the  world  is,  and  how  unkind  its 
inhabitants;  tlie  surrogate  has  denied  my  mother 
the  sequestration  of  the  living,  though  she  is  patron- 
ess, and  1  ain  the  heir.  He  has  taken  it  to  him- 
self, not  only  without,  but  against,  the  consent  of 
both  the  churcli-wardens.  Pray  for  us,  dear  Sir, 
that  we  may  be  enabled  to  love  our  enemies,  and 
do  good  and  wish  well  to  those  who  injuriously 
treat  us."  He  applied  to  his  diocesan,  who  fa- 
I'oured  him;  and  he  was  soon  after  regularly  in- 
ducted into  the  family-livings  of  Weston-Favel  and 
Collingtree,  in  Northamptonshire.  For  a  long  time 
he  was  determined  against  being  a  pluralist,  and 
refused  to  accept  of  Collingtree,  or  to  qualify  him- 
self for  it,  insomuch  that  it  was  in  danger  of  lapsing 
to  the  bishop;  but  at  length,  through  the  earnest 
and  constant  entreaties  of  his  family  and  friends, 
who,  unknown  to  him,  had  sent  to,  and  procured 
from  Oxford,  tlie  necessary  certificates  of  his  being 
a  Bachelor  of  Arts,  in  order  to  his  taking  his  Mas- 
ter's degree  at  Clare-hall,  Cambridge,  he  was, 
after  much  importunity,  prevailed  on  to  comply 
with  their  requests.  When  he  waited  on  Dr.  Tho- 
mas, the  then  bishop  of  Peterborough,  for  institu- 
tion to  Collingtree,  after  he  had  been  inducted  into 
Weston,  he  said  to  him,  "  I  suppose  your  Lord- 
ship will  be  surprised  to  see  James  Hervey  come 
to  desire  your  Lordship  to  permit  him  to  be  a  plu- 
ralist; but  I  assure  you,  I  do  it  to  satisfy  the  re- 
peated solicitations  of  my  mother  and  sister."  To 
a  friend  he  writes  on  this  subject:  "  Advised  by 
my  friends,  importuned  by  my  relations,  and  swayed 
by  concern  for  the  circumstances  of  a  mother  and 
sister,  who  live  with  me,  1  have  been  prevailed  on 


82 


LIFE  OF 


to  take  a  second  benefice."  Mr.  Hervey  never 
had  any  preferment  given  him,  nor  ever  solicited 
for  any,  but  continued  a  curate  till  his  father's  death, 
when  he  took  possession  of  the  two  family-livings 
(being  within  five  measured  miles  of  each  other.) 
While  many  of  his  brethren  liunted  for  lucrative 
livings,  and  higher  stations  in  the  church,  he  says, 
"  I  have  no  wish  to  be  spoken  of  to  the  king,  or 
the  captain  of  the  host.  Of  gold  and  silver,  blessed 
be  the  Divine  Providence,  I  have  enough  and  to 
spare:  like  the  Shunamite,  I  dwell  among  my 
own  people,  perfectly  content  with  my  station, 
and  without  a  single  wish  for  a  higher.''  Mr. 
Hervey  and  his  curate  used  to  attend  alternately, 
till  his  ill  health  confined  him  entirely  to  Weston- 
Favel:  in  this  place  he  always  resided.  In  the 
parish  of  Weston,  his  ministry  seemed  very  un- 
successful; some  persons  locked  up  their  pews, 
and  would  not  attend,  nor  suffer  others  to  occupy 
them ;  but  while  this  was  the  case,  he  was  very 
useful  to  multitudes  all  the  country  round.  An  ex- 
cellent minister  who  lived  in  Northampton,  Mr. 
Ryland,  says,  "  I  know  many  people  in  the  neigh- 
bouring villages,  who  were  converted  under  his 
ministry."  Several  of  these  came  from  a  great 
distance.  The  aisles,  and  every  other  place  in  his 
church,  where  strangers  might  be,  were  crowded. 

A  worthy  domestic,  alive  in  1811,  related,  that 
his  usual  visiters  were  the  Rev.  Messrs.  Wiiilefield, 
T.  Jones,  Cudworth,  Doddridge,  Ryland,  and  a 
pious  young  man,  a  stone-mason  ;  the  lips  of  these 
righteous  men  fed  one  another;  indeed  few  but  re- 
ligious persons  called  on  him. 

Mr.  Hervey  describes  his  situation  at  Weston  in 
the  following  words: — "  Weston  is  near  North- 
ampton, about  two  miles  from  the  town,  pleasantly 


REV.    JAMES    H  E  R  V  E  V. 


83 


situated  on  an  agreeable  eminence,  on  tlie  right 
side  of  tlie  river,  and  a  proper  distance  from  tlie 
meadow.  My  house  is  quite  retired;  it  faces  the 
garden  and  the  field,  so  that  we  hear  none  of  the 
tumultuous  din  of  the  world,  and  see  nothing  but 
the  wonderful  and  charming  works  of  the  Creator. 
O  that  I  may  be  enabled  to  improve  this  advantage- 
ous solitude!  Though  secluded  from  the  gay  and 
busy  scenes  of  life,  may  I  ever  be  present  with  that 
divine  Being  who  has  heaven  for  his  throne,  and 
the  earth  for  his  footstool ;  whose  mercy  in  Christ 
Jesus  is  like  his  majesty,  exceeding  great  and  in- 
finite." 

To  his  devout  attentive  mind,  his  garden  turned 
preacher,  and,  as  he  says  himself,  "  its  blooming 
tenants  were  so  many  lively  sermons."  We  have 
an  instance  of  this  in  Theron  and  Aspasio:  "  Op- 
posite to  the  room  in  which  I  write,  is  a  most 
agreeable  prospect  of  the  gardens  and  the  fields. 
These  covered  with  herbage  and  loaded  with  corn; 
those  adorned  with  flowers  and  abounding  with 
esculents ;  all  appearing  with  so  florid  and  so 
beauiiful  an  aspect,  that  they  really  seem,  in  con- 
formity to  the  Psalmist's  description,  even  to  laugh 
and  sing.  Let  me  just  observe,  that  all  these  fine 
scenes,  all  these  rich  productions  sprung — from 
what?  from  the  dissolution  of  the  respective  seeds. 
The  seeds  planted  by  the  gardener,  and  the  grain 
sown  by  the  husbandman,  first  perished  in  the 
ground,  and  then  tlie  copious  increase  arose.  Much 
in  the  same  manner  a  true  faith  in  Christ  and  his 
righteousness  arises — from  what  ?  from  the  ruins 
of  self-sufliciency,  and  the  death  of  a  personal  ex- 
cellency. Let  me  therefore  entreat  my  'I'heron, 
still  to  keep  an  eye  on  the  depravity  of  his  nature, 
and  the  miscarriages  of  his  life  :  the  more  clearly 


84 


I  I  F  E  OP 


we  see,  the  more  deeply  we  feel,  our  guilt  and  our 
misery,  the  more  highly  shall  we  value  the  obedi- 
ence of  our  blessed  Surety.  In  such  a  heart,  faith 
will  flourish  as  a  rose,  and  lift  up  its  head  like  a 
cedar  in  Lebanon,"  Writing  also  to  Mr.  Wesley, 
who  opposed  his  exposition  of  James  ii.  22 — "  By 
works  was  faith  made  perfect;"  he  says,  "  Thus 
faith  hereby  answered  its  proper  end,  and  appeared 
to  be  of  the  true,  the  scriptural  kind,  since  it  over- 
came the  world,  overcame  self,  and  regarded  God 
as  all  in  all.  Shall  I  send  you  to  a  familiar  instruc- 
tion ?  I  view  from  my  window  a  young  tree.  The 
gardener,  when  he  planted  it,  told  me  it  was  a 
fruit  tree,  a  pear  tree,  a  right  bearer  (hi  Roy ;  it 
may  be  such  a  tree,  and  have  its  respective  fruit  in 
itself;  but  this  did  not  then  appear.  If,  when  au- 
tumn arrives,  its  branches  are  loaded  with  fruit, 
with  pears,  with  that  most  delicious  kind  of  pears, 
this  will  be  a  demonstration  of  all  those  properties ; 
this  will  not  make  it  such  a  particular  tree,  no,  nor 
make  it  a  good  and  fruitful  tree,  but  only  show  it 
to  be  of  that  fine  sort,  and  make  its  nature  and  per- 
fections evident." 

When  his  father's  curate  at  Collinglree,  he  has 
been  seen  lying  on  his  back  in  the  church-yard, 
surveying  the  starry  heavens  through  his  teles- 
cope. 

lie  gives  us  the  following  account  of  his  en- 
trance on  the  ministry,  as  rector,  at  Weston,  in  a 
letter  to  a  friend : — "  I  did  on  the  day  you  mention, 
ascend  the  pulpit,  and  speak  for  the  space  of  half 
an  hour  to  my  people,  but  with  so  much  weak- 
ness !  It  is  well  the  eternal  God  does  not  want 
strength  of  lungs,  or  delicacy  of  elocution,  but  can 
do  his  work,  his  great  work  of  converting  souls, 
by  the  weakest,  meanest  instruments  !  If  it  was  not 


REV.  JAMES  HERVET. 


85 


so,  I  must  absolutely  despair  of  being  successful  in 
my  labour,  or  serviceable  in  my  office.  I  opened 
my  commission  lo  my  new  parishioners,  from 
these  words  of  the  blessed  and  only  Potentate — 
Preach  the  gospel  to  every  creature; — showed  them 
what  the  gospel  means,  and  what  blessings  it  com- 
prehends; by  whom  these  were  purchased,  and  to 
whom  they  are  offered;  exhorted  them  severally 
to  secure  to  themselves  a  share  in  ihhse  unspeak- 
able blessings;  and  gave  them  to  understand,  that 
the  end  of  my  preaching  among  them,  the  design 
of  my  conversation  with  them,  and  the  principal 
aim  of  my  whole  life,  would  be  to  bring  them  ac- 
quainted with  this  delightful  doctrine,  and  to  assist 
them  in  obtaining  the  great  salvation.  I  bless  God 
for  making  my  poor  discourse  acceptable  to  my 
hearers;  and  now  I  must  beseech  the  bountiful 
Giver  of  all  good,  to  make  it  beneficial  to  their 
souls."  In  the  beginning  of  his  ministry  here,  he 
was  mucli  discouraged  by  the  remarkable  weak- 
ness of  his  constitution.  So  he  writes;  "My 
strength  is  so  worn  down,  and  my  constitution  so 
irreparably  decayed,  that  it  will  be  absolutely  im- 
possible for  me  to  discharge  my  ministerial  duty." 
However,  having  obtained  help  of  God,  he  preach- 
ed the  gospel  to  that  parish  more  than  six  years 
and  discharged  all  the  duties  of  the  ministry  with 
much  diligence.  He  wrote  to  Dr.  Watts :  "  I  have 
reason  to  thank  you  for  your  sacred  songs,  which 
I  have  introduced  into  the  service  of  my  church ; 
so  that,  in  the  solemnities  of  the  Sabbath,  and  in  a 
lecture  on  a  week-day,  your  music  lights  up  the 
incense  of  our  praise,  and  furnishes  our  devotions 
with  harmony."*    This  he  also  had  done  when 


*  Memoirs  of  Dr.  Watts. 


86 


LIFE  OF 


his  father's  curate  at  Collingtree.  His  hearers 
wished  always  for  him  to  preach  as  long  as  he  was 
able  to  perform  divine  service;  he  says  in  his  last 
days:  "  I  have  not  entirely  given  over  my  minis- 
terial duty,  because  my  parishioners  have  an  affec- 
tion for  me,  and  rather  clioose  to  be  content  with 
one  sermon  on  the  Lord's  day,  and  that  delivered 
with  much  weakness,  than  to  be  assiduously  atten- 
ded, and  more  ably  served,  by  a  stranger.  To 
them,  perhaps,  my  languid  looks  may  preach,  and 
even  my  enfeebled  voice  have  a  peculiar  strength, 
from  the  consideration,  tliat  the  minister  who  is 
now  standing  before  their  eyes,  and  addresses  their 
ears,  must  ere  long,  be  seen  and  heard  no  more." 

At  Weston,  many  strangers  attended  his  min- 
istrj' .  many  from  the  villages  around,  from  North- 
ampton, and  even  from  London:  these  last  lodged 
in  Northampton.  Two  months  after  his  settle- 
ment in  Weston,  he  received  institution  to  Colling- 
tree as  its  rector.  Here  the  Rev.  Moses  Brown 
was  his  curate  for  several  years.  This  gentleman 
was  afterwards  vicar  of  Olney  and  Chaplain  of 
Morden  College ;  he  was  a  person  of  eminent  piety, 
strict  evangelical  views,  and  an  amiable  disposition. 
He  was  author  of  two  poetical  pieces,  an  Essay  on 
the  Universe,  and  Sunday  Thoughts  ;  also,  at  Mr. 
Hervey's  desire,  he  translated  Zimmerman's  Ex- 
cellency of  the  Knowledge  of  Christ.  He  speaks 
of  Mr.  Hervey  in  the  following  terms: — "  My  ac- 
quaintance with  that  pious  and  amiable  man,  and 
accomplished  author  of  Meditations,  and  'J'heron 
and  Aspasio,  had  been  only  at  a  distance,  and  epis- 
tolary, till  my  coming,  in  the  year  1753,  to  be  his 
curate  at  Collingtree,  and  setdingsoon  hereupon  in 
his  neighbourhood;  this  drew  on  the  peculiarly  en- 
deared intimacy  there  was  between  us,  that  continu- 


REV.  JAMES  HERVEY. 


87 


ed  till  liis  death,  in  which  intervals  of  some  years 
(the  happiest  that  have  been  given  to  my  life)  I  had 
frequent  and  fresh  opportunities  of  his  pleasant, 
always  edifying  conversation,  and  the  advantage 
of  partaking  of  many  of  his  private  hours  and 
thoughts."  Of  his  induction  there,  Mr.  Hervey 
writes  to  a  correspondent,  August  18,  1752:  *'  On 
Sunday  I  gave  my  new  charge  my  lirst  sermon. 
O  that  God  may  give  both  it  and  them  his  heaven- 
ly benediction!  The  text  was  taken  from  that 
noble  declaration  of  the  apostle,  in  which  he  adores 
his  God,  and  congratulates  himself  upon  the  un- 
speakable privilege  of  being  a  minister  of  the  gos- 
pel !  '  To  me,  who  am  less  than  the  least  of  all 
saints,  is  this  grace  given,  that  I  should  preach 
among  the  Gentiles  the  unsearchable  riches  of 
Christ,'  Eph.  iii.  8." 

Man  is  not  born,  either  the  first  or  second  time, 
for  himself  only.  He  is  a  member  of  the  public, 
and  ought  to  do  all  the  good  he  can  to  others.  This 
Mr.  Hervey  well  knew;  and  the  love  of  God  and 
men  being  eminently  shed  abroad  in  his  heart,  it 
was  fertile  of  good  designs.  On  the  subject  of 
Christian  benevolence,  he  says,  "  I  believe  the 
world  has  a  notion  that  I  am  a  dignified,  or  a  bene- 
ficed man  at  least.  Dear  Sir,  (says  he,  to  his  cor- 
respondent,) may  it  be  your  benefice  and  mine,  to 
do  good  to  souls,  and  our  highest  dignity  to  glori- 
fy the  ever-blessed  Redeemer,  who,  for  our  sakes, 
had  not  where  to  lay  his  head,  till  he  was  num- 
bered with  transgressors,  and  laid  in  the  silent 
grave."*  "Ecclesiastical  preferment — preferment! 
Yes,  if  rightly  understood,  it  is  rightly  so  called  ; 
for  what  can  be  a  more  honourable  office  than  to 


*  Gen.  Col.  Let.  92. 


88 


LIFE  OF 


labour  for  Christ;  to  spend  and  be  spent  for  Him 
whom  heaven  and  earth  adore ;  who  yet  was  made 
sin  for  us,  that  we  might  be  made  the  righteousness 
of  God  in  him?  O  that  my  brethren  and  I  may 
understand  the  word  preferment  in  this  truly  pre- 
cious and  noble  sense!"*  "  To  save  souls  is  the 
noblest  acquisition  in  the  world,  infinitely  more  de- 
sirable than  to  find  great  spoil.  May  this  be  my 
continual  aim." 

Mr.  Hervey  was  engaged  in  contriving  and  en- 
couraging schemes  to  do  good  in  behalf  of  the  souls 
of  men  :  "  I  caused  lately  (says  he)  to  be  printed, 
for  the  benefit  of  my  people,  a  little  collection  of 
Scripture  promises.  I  would  have  them  pasted  into 
their  Bibles,  and  other  pious  books,  that  they  may 
not  be  lost,  but  always  at  hand ;  and  may  the  God 
of  all  grace  command  them  to  be  mixed  with  faith, 
and  ingrafted  into  their  hearts.  Perhaps  some  of 
your  friends  may  not  disdain  this  spiritual  nosegay, 
because,  though  little,  it  is  culled  from  the  garden 
of  God.  I  may  also  say,  they  will  be  a  cordial  to 
a  believer,  when  all  the  delicacies  imported  by  ship- 
ping lose  their  agreeable  relish;  they  will  be  a  por- 
tion to  him,  when  all  the  treasures  acquired  by 
commerce  are  faking  their  everlasting  flight."  He 
enclosed  this  list  in  letters  to  his  friends. 

To  a  judicious  and  holy  clergyman  (probably 
Mr.  Walker  of  Truro,)  he  writes :  "I  should  much 
wish  to  see  from  your  pen  two  or  three  lively  ani- 
mated forms  of  morning  and  evening  prayer,  with 
clear  and  short  directions  how  to  pray  aright,  and 
a  proper  method  of  daily  self-examination.  'I'his, 
printed  in  a  half-penny  pamphlet,  we  might  give 
away  to  any  body,  to  every  body  indeed ;  and  if 


•  Letter,  Gospel  Magazine. 


BEV.   JAMES  HERVEY. 


89 


one  in  twenty,  or  even  one  in  fifty,  proved  success- 
ful, our  pains  and  expense  would  be  abundantly 
recompensed.  We  should  also  have  some  handle 
to  lay  hold  on  hypocritical  self-deceiving  souls : 
we  might  say,  Neighbour,  have  you  got  these  pray- 
ers by  heart?  Do  you  constantly  use  them,  and 
examine  yourselves  daily  by  these  questions  ?" 

The  county  hospital  of  Northampton,  he,  along 
with  his  friends,  Dr.  Stonehouse  and  Dr.  Dod- 
dridge, greatly  encouraged :  while  he  was  able,  he 
visited  the  patients,  and  gave  them  suitable  direc- 
tions. To  the  last  mentioned  friend,  he  writes : 
j  "  I  heartily  applaud  the  zeal  you  show  for  the  spi- 
I  ritual  welfare  of  the  patients  of  the  Northampton 
i  infirmary.  It  would  be  an  inestimable  favour,  if, 
by  the  blessing  of  God,  it  might  be  productive  of  a 
reformation  in  the  persons  whom  it  admits  and  dis- 
charges. As  distressed  objects  will  in  all  proba- 
bility resort  to  it  from  all  parts  of  the  country,  a 
change  wrought  in  their  hearts,  and  a  renewal  be- 
gun.in  their  lives,  will  be  a  happy  means  of  dif- 
fusing religion  far  and  near.  I  hope  the  clergy 
concerned  in  the  management  of  the  infirmary  will, 
with  delight  and  assiduity,  concur  in  the  prosecu- 
tion of  so  desirable  an  end.  I  can  promise  for  one, 
so  far  as  God  shall  give  me  ability.  I  wish  some 
proper  scheme  was  contrived  for  the  execution  of 
this  design,  in  which  I  might  bear  some  little  part, 
without  giving  umbrage  to  my  brethren,  or  alarm- 
ing their  jealousy.  I  have  sometimes  thought  of 
giving  the  patients  a  kind  of  lecture  or  exhortation 
once  a  week,  formed  on  some  one  or  other  of  those 
Scripture  mementos  on  the  walls,  but  am  somewhat 
doubtful  whether  such  a  proposal  would  meet  with 
acceptance.  Sometimes  checked  by  the  infirmities 
of  my  constitution,  I  have  hitherto  neglected  to 
8 


90 


LIFE  OF 


mention  the  affair;  however,  I  now  venture  to 
submit  it  to  your  consideration :  to  this,  or  any 
other  advisable  method,  I  should  very  readily  con- 
tribute the  best  of  my  assistance."* 

To  a  clergyman  he  writes  :  "  Let  me  beg  of  you 
to  direct  me  to  the  most  improving  books  you  have 
met  with.  No  longer  ago  than  yesterday,  a  young 
clergyman,  whom  I  had  never  seen  before,  made 
me  a  visit,  and  attended  a  lecture  which  I  give  my 
parish  in  Weston  church,  on  a  Wednesday  even- 
ing, at  seven  o'clock:  an  amiable  gentleman  truly! 
He  seems  mighty  well  inclined ;  wonders  that  his 
brethren  do  not  make  edifying  subjects,  such  as 
justification  and  sanctification,  the  favourites  of  their 
discourse.  Now  I  do  not  know  what  more  sub- 
stantial service  1  could  do  such  a  person,  than  to 
recommend  to  his  study  some  evangelical  author, 
with  a  little  sketch  of  his  character  and  distinguish- 
ing excellency,  which  might  be  a  blessing  to  others, 
and  a  blessing  to  himself."t  "  I  should  be  much 
obliged,  if  you  would  let  me  know  what  are  some 
of  the  most  valuable  books  which  you  have  met 
with,  on  various  subjects  of  importance;  what 
little  treatises  most  proper  to  be  put  into  the  hands 
of  illiterate  people  ;  what  are  some  of  the  most 
improving  and  judicious  compositions  in  biography; 
what  the  most  sound  and  weighty  authors  that  might 
be  recommended  to  young  students  of  divinity. "J 
"  Methinks,  if  a  subscription  to  modernize  valuable 
authors,  and  thus  rescue  them  from  the  pit  of  ob- 
livion, was  properly  set  on  foot  by  some  men  of 
eminence,  and  the  proposals  well  drawn  up,  it 
would  meet  with  due  encouragement.  I  have  often 
wondered  that  such  an  attempt  has  never  yet  been 


*  Gea.  Col.  Let.  27.       t  Ibid.  149.       t  Ibid.  112. 


REV.    JAMES  HERVEY. 


91 


made.  How  many  excellent  books  of  the  last  cen- 
tury are  now  out  of  print,  while  such  a  ninnber  of 
useless  and  pernicious  writings  are  continually  pub- 
lished!"* "I  wish  some  judicious  hand  would 
give  us  the  quintessence  of  Dr.  Owen's  works, 
each  in  a  size  both  portable  for  the  pocket  and  the 
memory.  I  really  think  it  would  be  one  of  the 
most  substantial  acts  of  service  which  a  scholar 
or  divine  could  perform  for  the  present  age."  He 
urges  his  correspondent  (Mr.  Ryland)  to  think  of 
executing  it:  "I  cannot  but  think  it  would  be  a 
profitable  employ  for  young  students  in  divinity,  to 
exercise  themselves  in  abridging  Caryl  on  Job, 
Owen  on  the  Hebrews,  Charnock  on  the  Attributes, 
or  some  such  valuable,  but  voluminous  authors. 
These  and  many  other  works  of  the  same  luxuriant 
growth,  would,  if  put  into  the  alembic,  afford  us 
the  very  spirit  of  the  gospel,  and  the  richest  cor- 
dial for  our  souls. "t 

He  did  much  good  in  recommending  religious 
treatises,  little  known  had  it  not  been  for  his  warm 
commendations.  He  also  diligently  dispersed  re- 
ligious tracts  among  his  friends,  and  among  the 
poor,  the  careless,  the  weak,  and  afflicted. 

He  encouraged,  by  his  influence  and  his  purse, 
societies  for  promoting  the  gospel,  both  at  home 
and  abroad.  The  following  directions,  given  by 
him,  most  likely  took  place  in  his  own  practice  : — 
"  For  reformation  in  swearing,  lying,  sabbath- 
breaking,  passionate  and  unchaste  persons,  you 
may  write,  (or  keep  by  you  printed)  hints  on  slips 
of  paper  against  either  of  these  vices,  and  place 
them  in  the  way  of  such  persons,  either  by  put- 
1    ting  them  in  their  books,  windows,  or  other  places, 


»  Gen.  Col.  Let. 209.     t  Note  to  Aspasio  Vindicated. 


92 


LIFE  OF 


provided  you  do  not  care  to  give  them  to  the  per- 
son yourself,  or  they  may  be  sent  by  post."* 

In  attempts  to  do  good,  he  used  also  to  take  hold 
of  any  suitable  occasion,  and  write  a  religious  let- 
ter to  his  friends.  This  is  evident  in  his  numerous 
letters.    We  only  select  a  few  instances. 

His  friend,  Dr.  Stonehouse,  having  fallen  from 
his  horse,  he  sends  him  the  following  advice : — 
"  Let  me  exhort  you  to  live  as  on  the  borders  of  eter- 
nity, and  often  to  reflect  where  the  late  fall  from 
your  horse  might  have  hurried  you.  Eternity  is 
at  hand  ;  He  that  cometh  will  come,  and  will  not 
tarry.  O  that  your  soul  may  prosper  !  but  it  can- 
not prosper  unless  the  world  be  under  foot,  and 
your  affections  fixed  on  Jesus;  what  besides  him 
deserves  a  thought  ?" 

To  one  looking  toward  the  ministry,  he  writes : 
"  Worldly  craftiness  is  a  bad  guide,  I  wish  you 
may  have  religious  discretion  for  yours,  and  that, 
instead  of  paying  court  to  the  great,  you  begin  to 
court  souls  for  the  everlasting  Bridegroom  ;  this  is 
your  true  interest,  and  will  avail  you  when  every 
worldly  consideration  will  be  found  ineffectual." 

To  a  physician,  about  using  means  for  the  spi- 
ritual welfare  of  his  patients,  he  writes  :  "  I  great- 
ly wish  those  in  the  practice  of  physic  would 
study  St.  Paul  as  well  as  Hippocrates,  and  attend 
occasionally  to  the  spiritual  wants  of  their  patients, 
when  they  are  consulted  as  to  their  bodily  disor- 
ders. This  would  be  endeavouring  to  copy  after 
the  pattern  of  the  compassionate  Physician  of  man- 
kind, who,  while  he  cured  the  body,  cured  the 
soul.  Being  totally  and  continually  silent  at  the 
patient's  bed-side,  is,  I  think,  denying,  or  in  some 

*  Hints  concerning  promoting  religion. 


BEV.  JAMES  HEKVEY. 


93 


measure  being  ashamed  of  the  Redeemer,  who 
bought  us  with  his  blood:  is  it  not,  as  it  were, 
refusing  to  embark  in  his  cause?  How  many  such 
might  be  improved  and  comforted  by  a  physician, 
without  any  hindrance  to  his  prescriptions,  detri- 
ment to  his  character,  or  loss  of  his  time !  The 
sick  would  long  remember  the  words  of  their  phy- 
sician, if  he  would  now  and  then  drop  occasionally 
a  few  religious  hints,  or  a  striking  sentence  or  two, 
with  propriety  and  seriousness." 

Among  the  instances  of  his  benevolence,  we 
may  mention  his  visiting  condemned  criminals  in 
Northampton  jail,  which,  to  one  under  his  relaxed 
state  of  health,  was  an  eminent  labour  of  love. 
We  have  an  instance  of  this,  August  8,  1747:  "  I 
visited  the  poor  condemned  malefactor;  found  him 
an  ignorant  person;  aimed  chiefly  at  these  two 
grand  points,  to  convince  him  of  the  heinousness 
of  his  sin,  and  show  him  the  all-sufficiency  of  the 
Saviour  to  obtain  pardon  for  the  vilest  of  offenders." 
When,  through  weakness,  unable  to  visit  two  pri- 
soners in  1755,  he  wrote  them  a  suitable  letter. 

Being  a  rich  partaker  of  the  Spirit  of  Jesus,  who 
in  all  iiis  people's  afflictions  is  afflicted,  he  could 
say  in  some  measure,  "  Who  is  weak,  and  I  am 
not  weak?  who  is  offended,  and  I  burn  not?"  To 
the  afflicted  he  administered  comforts  and  direc- 
tions suited  to  their  situation. 

Even  with  those  who  maltreated  him  he  sym- 
pathized. So  he  writes  a  friend:  "The  tenant, 
whose  mother  you  saw  at  my  house,  continues 
obstinate  and  revengeful  to  the  very  last,  and  will 
leave  me  no  possibility  of  getting  my  money  for 
the  time  past,  or  my  land  for  the  time  to  come,  but 
only  by  arresting  him  and  throwing  him  into  jail ; 
and  this  I  cannot  be  prevailed  on  to  do.    It  would 


94 


LIFE  OF 


grieve  me  extremely,  that  a  man  who  has  a  wife 
and  two  small  children,  lies  in  a  prison  confined 
by  my  orders." 

Among  many  instances  of  his  compassion  to  the 
afflicted,  we  have  the  following  from  his  own  hand, 
to  an  intimate: — "  Soon  after  I  received  your  fa- 
vour, a  messenger  came  from  London,  bringing 
us  the  alarming  news  that  my  youngest  brother 
was  extremely  ill.  Upon  me  the  office  fell  of  taking 
the  journey;  feeble  and  languid  as  I  was,  there  was 
no  rejecting  such  a  call.  Accordingly,  I  took  coach, 
and  in  two  days  arrived  safe  in  London,  where 
I  found  my  poor  brother  seized  with  a  most  vio- 
lent fever.  After  attending  his  sick-bed  for  several 
days,  I  had  the  melancholy  task  of  closing  his  dear 
eyes,  and  resigning  him  up  to  death.  Scarcely 
was  I  returned  to  Weston,  but  another  awful  pro- 
vidence fetched  me  from  home.  My  very  worthy 
physician,  Dr.  Stonehouse,  had  the  misfortune  to 
lose  an  amiable  and  excellent  wife.  At  this  valu- 
able friend's  house,  I  was  desired  to  abide  some 
time,  in  order  to  assist  in  writing  letters  for  him, 
and  despatching  his  necessary  affairs,  in  comfort- 
ing him  concerning  the  deceased,  and  (if  the  will 
of  God  be  so)  in  endeavouring  to  improve  the 
awakening  visitation  to  our  mutual  good." 

To  a  dying  Christian  at  Bideford,  he  says:  "  So 
you  are  going  to  leave  us:  you  will  be  at  your 
eternal  home  before  us!  I  heartily  wish  you  an 
easy,  a  comfortable,  and  a  lightsome  journey. 
Fear  not ;  He  that  died  upon  the  cross  will  be 
with  you,  when  you  walk  through  the  valley  of 
the  shadow  of  death.  People  that  travel  often  sing 
by  the  way,  to  render  their  journey  more  pleasant. 
Let  me  furnish  you  with  a  song,  most  exactly  and 
most  charmingly  suited  to  your  purpose :  Who 


REV.   JAMES   n  E  R  V  £  Y.  95 

shall  lay  any  thing  to  my  charge?  It  is  God  that 
justifieth  me;  who  is  he  that  condemneth  me?  It 
is  Christ  that  died  for  me;  yea,  rather,  that  is 
risen  again,  who  is  even  at  the  right  hand  of  God, 
who  also  maketh  intercession  for  me.  Shall  tlie 
law  lay  any  thing  to  my  charge?  That  has  been 
fully  satisfied,  by  the  obedience  and  death  of  my 
divine  Lord.  Shall  sin  condemn  me?  That  hath 
been  borne,  all  been  abolished  by  the  Lamb  of  God, 
that  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world.  Shall  Satan 
accuse  me?  What  will  that  avail,  when  the  Judge 
himself  justifies  me?  The  Judge  himself  pro- 
nounces me  righteous. — See  Rom.  viii.  33,  34; 
Gal.  iii.  13;  1  Pet.  ii.  24;  Dan.  ix.  24;  John 
i.  29.  But  shall  I  be  pronounced  righteous,  who 
have  been  and  am  a  poor  sinner  ?  Hear  what  the 
Holy  Ghost  saith:  Christ  loved  the  Church,  and 
gave  himself  for  it,  that  he  might  present  it  to  him- 
self a  glorious  Church,  not  iiaving  spot  or  wrinkle, 
or  any  such  thing.  What  reason  have  they  to  be 
ashamed,  who  have  neither  spot  nor  wrinkle,  nor 
any  blemish?  And  such  will  be  the  appearance  of 
those  who  are  washed  in  Christ's  blood,  and  clodied 
in  liis  righteousness;  they  will  be  presented  fault- 
less, and  with  exceeding  joy.  Eph.  v.  25 — 27; 
Jude  24." 

Knowing  the  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus,  who, 
though  he  was  rich,  yet  for  our  sakes  became 
poor,  he  abounded  in  acts  of  beneficence  to  tlic 
needy ;  and  in  this  he  consulted  the  interests  of  tlie 
soul  by  good  advice,  as  well  as  those  of  the  body. 
He  applied  to  physicians  in  the  belialf  of  the  sick. 
He  frequently  petitioned  such  physicians  as  he  ap- 
prehended to  be  charitably  disposed,  to  give  their 
advice  occasionally,  when  they  rode  through  a 
town,  to  such  poor  persons  as  the  clergyman  of 


96 


LIFE  OF 


the  place,  or  some  respectable  inhabitant,  should 
recommend  as  real  objects  of  compassion.  With 
great  pleasure,  then,  and  with  as  much  gratitude  to 
the  physician  as  if  done  for  himself,  he  would  de- 
fray the  expense  of  what  medicines  were  wanted. 

He  also  gave  away  a  great  number  of  religious 
books,  with  suitable  instructions  how  to  use  them, 
and  especially  Bibles.  In  the  blank  leaf  of  these 
he  frequendy  wrote  something  suited  to  make  an 
impression,  or  else  stuck  in  a  printed  tract. 

His  charity  to  his  hearers,  the  poor  colliers 
about  Collingtree,  in  respect  of  both  soul  and  body, 
was  almost  boundless.  All  the  profits  of  his  Medi- 
tations, amounting  to  £700,  he  expended  in  charity. 
"  This  (said  he)  I  have  devoted  to  God.  I  will 
on  no  account  apply  it  to  any  worldly  uses.  I 
write  not  for  profit,  nor  for  fame,  but  to  serve  the 
cause  of  God  ;  and  as  he  hath  blessed  my  attempt, 
I  think  myself  bound  to  relieve  the  distresses  of 
my  fellow-creatures  with  the  profits  that  come  from 
this  quarter."  He  was  not  willing  his  charity  should 
die  with  him,  for  he  ordered  all  the  profit  arising 
from  the  future  sale  of  his  books  to  be  constantly 
applied  to  charitable  purposes.  He  chose  rather 
to  clothe  the  poor,  than  give  them  money.  He 
used  to  get  some  judicious  person  to  buy  linen, 
coarse  cloth,  stockings,  shoes,  &c.,  at  the  best 
rate,  alleging  that  the  poor  could  not  buy  so  good 
a  commodity  at  the  little  shops,  and  with  small 
sums  of  money — and  adding,  "I  am  God's  stew- 
ard for  his  poor,  and  I  must  husband  the  little  pit- 
tance I  have  to  bestow  upon  them  as  well  as  possi- 
ble." But  where  money  would  be  particularly 
serviceable  to  a  family  long  atHicted  with  sickness, 
or  to  a  prudent  housekeeper,  who  had  met  with 
great  losses  in  trade,  he  would  give  five,  ten,  or 


REV.    JAMES    HERVEV.  97 


fifteen  guineas.  He  interested  himself  much  for 
his  worthy  friend  Moses  Brown.  He  writes : — 
*'  AVith  £50  a  year,  as  curate  of  Ohiey,  Mr.  B. 
has,  I  think,  thirteen  children.  One  is  settled  in 
the  world,  and  a  friend  of  his  has  taken  another  for 
his  clerk,  gratis.    We  propose  to  put  out  one  of 

I  his  daughters  to  some  decent  business,  by  which 
she  may  have  the  means  of  getting  her  livelihood. 
He  has  been  at  a  great  expense,  poor  man,  by  the 
sickness  of  his  family.  We  have  put  one  of  Mr. 
Moses  Brown's  children  apprentice  to  a  handsome 
business ;  and  it  will  be  a  pleasure  to  do  so  worthy 
a  man  ail  the  service  that  lies  in  my  power."  He 
wrote  a  large  and  warm  recommendation  of  Burn- 
ham's  Pious  Memorial,  as  a  piece  of  charity  to  his 

I  distressed  widow.  Among  other  instances  of  his 
charity,  he  proposed  to  buy  a  slave,  to  instruct 
him  in  the  Christian  religion:  thus  he  writes  his 
friend  Mr.  Whitefield,  who,  in  America,  had  op- 
portunity to  make  this  purchase:  "  When  you 
please  to  demand,  my  brother  will  pay  you  £30, 

1   for  the  purchase  of  a  negro ;  and  may  the  Lord 

i  Jesus  Christ  give  you,  or  rather  take  for  himself, 
the  precious  soul  of  the  poor  slave."  Mr.  White- 
field  answers  the  above,  and  says,  "  I  think  to  call 
your  intended  purchase  Weston,  and  shall  take 
care  to  remind  him  by  whose  means  he  Avas 
brought  under  the  everlasting  gospel."  He  ofTered 
a  yearly  allowance  to  a  poor  student  attending  the 
academy  of  Mr.  Ryland. 

In  another  letter,  he  says,  "  My  money  is 
Christ's,  and  I  only  desire  he  will  give  me  be- 
nevolence to  bestow  it  willingly,  and  grace  to  be- 
slow  it  prudenUy."* — "I  forbear  every  unneces- 

«Gen.  Col.  Let.  178. 
9 


98 


LIFE  OF 


sary  expense,  and  want  many  of  the  little  conveni- 
ences of  life,  that  I  may  succour  the  worthy  ser- 
vants of  Christ."* — "  I  see  so  much  indigence,  and 
so  many  distressed  objects,  that  I  begrudge  myself 
all  unnecessary  disbursements  of  money.  Who 
would  indulge  too  much  even  in  innocent  and 
elegant  amusements,  and  thereby  lessen  his  ability 
to  relieve,  to  cherish,  and  comfort  the  Lord  Jesus 
in  his  afflicted  members  ?"t 

While  Mr.  Hervey  was  so  charitable  to  the  poor, 
and  upon  Christian  principles,  he  acted  with  pru- 
dence and  discretion.  To  a  friend  he  writes  in  the 
following  terms : — "  I  think  a  guinea  is  fully  enough 
for  giving  away  to  a  person  whose  character  we  are 
ignorant  of.  There  are  too  many  to  whom  an  alms, 
in  the  way  of  money,  is  only  an  administration  of 
fuel  to  their  lusts;  not  that  I  presume  to  fix  such  a 
charge  upon  the  present  petitioner,  yet  this  convic- 
tion makes  me  cautious,  where  I  have  no  assurance 
of  the  person's  sobriety.  Had  it  not  been  for  his 
father's  worth,  I  should  have  almost  thought  it  my 
duty  to  have  shut  my  hands,  till  I  had  received 
some  more  satisfactory  recommendations.  We  are 
stewards  of  our  Master's  goods,  and  discretion  is 
requisite  in  the  discharge  of  such  an  office,  as  well 
as  fidelity." — "  In  your  last,  you  asked  me  for  two 
guineas  out  of  my  private  purse,  for  our  very  de- 
serving and  very  distressed  friend.  Indeed  it  is 
quite  exhausted,  but  I  have  agreed  to  go  halves 
with  Rivington  in  the  profits  of  my  book ;  and  I 
always  make  it  a  maxim  not  to  give  till  I  have 
gotten.  If  the  Lord  please  to  prosper  my  work,  I 
will  very  readily  communicate." 

Mr.  Hervey  wished,  by  occasion  of  his  external 


*  Gen.  Col.  Let.  80.  t  Ibid.  197. 


REV,    JAMES  HERVEY. 


99 


charity,  to  recommend  Jesus  to  his  fellow-men. 
So  he  writes  a  friend:  "  I  am  glad  the  little  money 
I  left  in  your  hand  had  not  been  remitted,  if  it  may 
be  a  means  of  cherishing  one  of  the  least  of  our 
Redeemer's  brethren.    You  did  right  in  delivering 

a  guinea  to  Mrs.  ,  for  the  benefit  of  poor 

widow  C,  If  M.  L.  or  B.  P.  are  in  want,  by  all 
means  let  them  be  relieved.  Tell  them  I  present 
each  of  them  with  a  crown,  and  be  pleased  to  give 
it  them  in  my  name,  assuring  them  that  I  give  it 
with  the  utmost  readiness ;  and  bid  them  think,  if 
a  poor  mortal,  a  wretched  sinner,  is  so  ready  to 
help  them,  according  to  his  ability,  how  much 
more  ready  is  the  infinitely  compassionate  Saviour 
of  the  world  to  pity  all  their  miseries,  and  comfort 
them  in  all  their  troubles !  If  poor  dust  and  ashes 
has  a  heart  to  pity,  how  inconceivably  more  willing 
is  the  fountain  of  love,  the  adorable  Friend  of  sin- 
ners, to  hear  their  prayers,  and  fulfil  all  their  de- 
sires! Were  it  in  my  power,  I  would  willingly  do 
more  for  them ;  but  let  them  remember,  that  the 
power  of  the  blessed  Jesus  knows  no  limits.  Per- 
haps my  poor  friends  may  feel  themselves  a  little 
inclined  to  love  the  giver  of  such  a  mite.  If  they 
should  feel  themselves  so  disposed,  O  let  them 
consider  what  reason  they  have  to  adore  and  love 
their  most  merciful  Redeemer!  Their  friend  never 
shed  his  blood  for  them,  never  laid  down  his  life 
for  them ;  but  Jesus  who  reigns  in  glory,  did  both 
for  their  sake."* 

A  day  before  he  died,  when  he  was  reduced  to 
such  extreme  weakness,  as  to  be  unable  to  read, 
and  could  with  difficulty  speak,  a  small  account 
being  settled  with  him  by  a  friend,  as  the  balance 

*  Evangelical  Magazine,  Vol.  10. 


100 


LIFE  OP 


of  which  he  received  eighteen  shillings ;  looking 
on  the  money  with  great  indifference,  he  expressed 
himself  to  this  effect: — "I  would  gladly  dispose  of 
this  small  sum  in  such  a  manner  as  may  do  most 
good.  It  is  the  only  act  which  I  now  am,  and 
probably  the  last  which  I  shall  be,  able  to  perform. 
Give  yourself  the  trouble  (says  he  to  a  friend)  of 
looking  among  these  books,  and  you  Avill  find  Mr. 
Richard's  pamphlet;  at  the  latter  end  of  which  are, 
in  manuscript,  I  remember,  some  hints  concern- 
ing the  means  of  promoting  religion  in  ourselves 
and  others,  which  (with  some  additions  and  im- 
provements, which  you  might  easily  make)  will 
not  fill  more  than  half  a  sheet  of  paper,  and  if 
stuck  up,  or  framed,  might  be  particularly  useful 
in  that  form.  Let,  then,  such  a  number  be  printed 
and  given  away,  as  this  money  will  admit  of."  It 
was  always  his  desii'e  to  die  just  even  with  the 
world.  "  I  will  be  my  own  executor,"  said  he; 
and,  as  he  died  on  Christmas-day,  his  fund  expired 
almost  with  his  life.  What  little  remained,  he  de- 
sired might  be  given  to  the  poor  at  that  severe 
season. 

Mr.  Hervey's  heart  was  entirely  devoted  to  the 
interests  of  his  Redeemer,  and  drawn  out  with 
peculiar  affection  to  all  his  followers,  especially  the 
most  holy,  zealous  and  active.  Mere  names  of 
parties  were  not  of  great  account  with  him ;  the 
precious  truth  of  evangelical  doctrine  was  his  pearl; 
where  he  found  it,  there  his  heart  was  knit.  He 
says,  on  this  point,  "  I  reckon  it  a  singular  bless- 
ing, that  the  spirit  of  prejudice  and  party  zeal  falls 
away,  and  we  can  converse  together  as  brethren, 
though  we  worship  the  great  Parent  of  all  in  dif- 
ferent assemblies." — "  Be  not  ashamed  of  the  name 
Puritan ;  they  were  the  soundest  preachers,  and  I 


REV.   JAMES  HERVEY. 


101 


believe  the  truest  followers  of  Christ." — "  For  my 
part,  I  esteem  the  Puritans  as  some  of  the  most 
zealous  Christians  that  ever  appeared  in  our  land." 
"  To  settle  faith  on  its  proper  basis,  the  meritorious 
righteousness  of  the  Redeemer,  and  to  deduce  obe- 
dience from  its  true  origin,  the  love  of  God  shed 
abroad  in  our  heart;  to  search  the  conscience,  and 
convince  the  judgment;  to  awaken  the  lethargic, 
and  comfort  the  aillictcd  soul,  and  all  from  a  thor- 
ough knowledge  joined  to  a  masterly  application 
of  the  Divine  word;  these  are  real  excellences; 
these,  if  we  may  credit  history,  entered  into  the 
preaching,  these,  if  we  examine  impartially,  are  to 
be  found  in  the  writings  of  the  Puritans."  He 
particularly  prized  them  as  maintaining  his  favour- 
ite doctrine  of  imputed  righteousness.    "  The  Pu- 
ritans, one  and  all  of  them,  glory  in  tlie  righteous- 
ness of  their  great  Mediator,  they  extol  his  imputed 
righteousness  in  almost  every  page,  and  pour  con- 
tempt on  all  other  works  compared  with  their 
Lord's;  for  my  part,  I  know  no  set  of  writers  in 
the  world  so  eminently  remarkable  for  this  doctrine 
and  diction;  it  quite  distinguishes  them  from  the 
generality  of  our  modern  treatises.    He  mentions 
particular  divines,  and  says:  "  Dr.  Owen,  witli  his 
correct  judgment  and  immense  fund  of  learning; 
Mr.  Charnock,  with  his  masculine  style  and  inex- 
haustible vein  of  thought;  Dr.  Goodwin,  with  sen- 
timents eminently  evangelical,  and  a  most  liappy 
talent  at  opening,  sifting,  and  displaying  the  hidden 
riches  of  Scripture;  these,  I  think,  are  the  tirst 
three.    Then  comes  Mr.  Howe,  nervous  and  ma- 
jestic, with  all  the  powers  of  imagery  at  his  com- 
mand ;  Dr.  Bates,  fluent  and  polished,  with  a  never 
ceasing  store  of  beautiful  similitudes;  Mr.  Flavel, 
fervent  and  alTectionatc,  with  a  masterly  hand  at 


102 


LIFE  OF 


probing  tlie  conscience  and  striking  the  passions; 
Mr.  Caryl,  Dr.  Manion,  Mr.  Pool,  with  many 
others,  whose  works  will  speak  for  them  ten  thou- 
sand times  better  than  the  tongue  of  panegyric,  or 
the  pen  of  biography.  You  are  not  ignorant  of 
my  sentiments  with  regard  to  our  dissenting  bre- 
thren. Are  we  not  all  devoted  to  the  same  supreme 
Lord?  Do  we  not  all  rely  on  the  merits  of  the 
same  glorious  Redeemer?  By  professing  the  same 
faith,  the  same  doctrine  which  is  according  to  god- 
liness, we  are  incorporated  into  the  same  mystical 
body ;  and  how  strange,  how  unnatural  would  it 
be,  if  the  head  should  be  averse  to  the  breast,  or 
the  hands  inveterately  prejudiced  against  the  feet, 
only  because  the  one  is  habited  somewhat  differ- 
ently from  the  other?  Though  I  am  steady  in  my 
attachment  to  the  Established  Church,  I  would 
have  a  right  hand  of  fellowship  and  a  heart  of  love 
ever  ready,  ever  open,  to  all  the  upright  evangelical 
dissenters."  Having  desired  a  friend  to  transmit 
his  most  cordial  affection  to  a  dissenting  minister, 
he  adds:  "I  dearly  love  him,  and  rejoice  in  the 
expectation  of  meeting  him  in  the  everlasting  king- 
dom of  our  dear  Redeemer.  How  inconsiderable, 
what  a  perfect  nothing,  is  the  difference  of  preach- 
ing in  a  cloak,  or  in  a  gown,  since  we  both  hold 
the  same  Head,  both  are  united  to  the  same  Saviour, 
and  have  access  by  the  same  Spirit  to  the  Father. 
I  assure  you  his  name  has  been  mentioned  in  my 
poor  intercessions,  ever  since  he  favoured  me  with 
his  friendly  edifying  epistle.  Tell  him  I  am  ma- 
king some  faint  attempts  to  recommend  to  the  world 
a  doctrine  which  is  music  to  his  ears,  and  better 
than  a  cordial  to  his  heart."*    To  the  same  pur- 


*  Gen.  Col.  Let.  61. 


EEV.   JAMES  HEEVEY. 


103 


pose  he  writes :  "  Be  it  so,  that  in  some  parts  sev- 
eral of  our  brethren  dissent;  let  us  all  live  amica- 
bly and  sociably  together,  for  ■we  harmonize  in 
principles.  Let  us  join  in  conversation  and  inter- 
mingle interests,  discover  no  estrangement  of  be- 
haviour, cherish  no  alienation  of  affection ;  if  any 
strife  subsist,  let  it  be  to  follow  our  Divine  Master 
most  closely,  in  humihty  of  heart  and  unblame- 
ableness  of  life ;  let  it  be  to  serve  one  another  most 
readily  in  all  the  kind  offices  of  a  cordial  friend- 
ship." 

Mr.  Hervey  attained  much  of  the  meekness  and 
gentleness  of  Christ,  and  was  a  person  of  refined 
manners.  He  apprehended  the  modern  sentiment, 
that  politeness  and  religion  were  inconsistent,  and 
race  and  good  breeding  irreconcilable,  was  an  arti- 
ce  of  our  grand  enemy  to  bring  the  best  of  causes 
into  disrepute;  he  therefore  cultivated  true  polite- 
ness. In  the  mean  time,  he,  on  proper  occasions, 
honestly  and  plainly  reproved  sin.  Dining  with 
one  of  his  respected  friends,  Mr.  Hervey  observed 
him  utier  a  profane  expression.  H^  did  not  think 
it  prudent,  before  his  family,  to  reprove  him ;  but 
soon  after,  in  a  letter  to  him,  he  has  the  following 
hints: — "  I  fancy,  my  dear  friend,  yon  did  not  take 
notice  of  an  unbecoming  expression  which  dropped 
from  your  lips  while  1  sat  at  your  table.  You  were 
a  little  chagrined  at  the  carelessness  of  your  ser- 
vant, and  said  to  him,  with  some  warmth.  What 
in  the  name  of  God  do  you  mean?  Such  expres- 
sions from  your  mouth  will  be  much  observed,  and 
long  remembered.  I  need  say  no  more;  you  your- 
self will  perceive,  by  a  moment's  refleciion,  how 
faulty  they  are  in  themselves,  how  pernicious  they 
may  be  to  others.  May  the  good  Lord  pardon 
and  deliver  you  from  evil,  and  may  both  of  us 


104 


LIFE  OF 


meditate  on  that  text,  '  Set  a  watch  before  our 
mouths,  and  keep  the  door  of  our  hps.'  " 

The  following  striking  anecdote  of  Christian 
faithfulness  is  related  of  him.  In  it  we  have  evi- 
dence of  the  prudence  and  eflicacy  of  his  admoni- 
tions. Being  once  on  a  journey,  a  lady,  who  hap- 
pened to  be  in  the  same  carriage,  was  expatiating 
in  a  particular  manner  on  the  amusements  of  the 
stage,  as  in  her  esteem  superior  to  any  other  plea- 
sures. Among  other  things,  she  said  there  was  the 
pleasure  of  thinking  on  the  play  before  she  went, 
the  pleasure  she  enjoyed  while  there,  and  the  plea- 
sure of  ruminating  on  it  in  her  bed  at  night.  Mr. 
Hervey,  who  sat  and  heard  her  discourse  without 
interrupting  her,  when  she  had  concluded,  said  to 
her,  in  a  mild  manner,  that  there  was  one  pleasure 
more,  besides  what  she  had  mentioned,  which  she 
had  forgot.  "  What  can  that  be?"  said  she;  "  for 
surely  I  have  included  every  pleasure,  when  I  con- 
sidered the  enjoyment  beforehand,  at  the  time,  and 
afterwards.  Pray,  Sir,  Avhat  is  it?''  Mr.  Hervey, 
with  a  grave  look,  and  in  a  manner  peculiar  to  him- 
self, replied,  "  Madam,  the  pleasure  it  will  give 
you  on  your  death-bed."  A  clap  of  thunder,  or  a 
flash  of  lightning,  would  not  have  struck  her  with 
more  surprise:  the  stroke  v^ent  to  her  very  heart. 
She  had  not  one  word  to  say,  but,  during  the  rest 
of  the  journey,  seemed  quite  occupied  in  thinking 
upon  it.  In  short,  the  consequence  of  this  well- 
timed  remark  was,  that  she  never  after  went  to  the 
play-house,  but  became  a  pious  woman,  and  a  fol- 
lower of  those  pleasures  which  would  afford  her 
true  satisfaction  even  on  a  death-bed. 

iVIr.  Hervey  particularly  enjoyed  pious  conver- 
sation; he  seems  to  have  sought  out  the  company 
of  the  serious,  wherever  the  hand  of  the  Lord  led 


REV.   JAMES  HERVEY, 


105 


him.  His  great  humility  made  him  respect  tiie 
sentiiDcnts  of  others;  while  his  happy  talent  of 
securing  openings  for  introducing  religious  hints, 
or  improving  on  those  of  others,  rendered  his  con- 
versation at  once  entertaining  and  edifying.  From 
Bath  he  writes:  "  There  are  found,  in  this  loose 
and  luxurious  city,  those  who  hunger  and  thirst 
after  Christ  and  his  righteousness.  To  them  the 
pleasures  of  the  world,  which  encircle  them  on 
every  hand,  are  as  dross  and  dung,  in  compari- 
son of  the  Saviour's  love."  In  other  conversation 
he  was  often  disappointed.  '•  When  1  have  been 
asked,"  says  he,  "  to  spend  an  afternoon  with  gen- 
tlemen of  a  learned  education  and  unquestionable 
ingenuity,  I  have  fancied  myself  invited  to  take  a 
turn  in  some  beautiful  garden,  where  I  expected  to 
have  been  treated  with  a  sight  of  the  most  delicate 
flowers  and  most  amiable  forms  of  nature,  when, 
to  my  surprise,  I  have  been  shown  nothing  but  the 
most  worthless  thistles  and  contemptible  weeds. 

"  For  my  part,  when  Christ  and  his  righteous- 
ness are  the  subject  of  conference,  I  know  not  how 
to  complain  of  prolixity;  I  feel  no  weariness,  but 
rather  delight  to  talk  of  them  Avithout  ceasing." 
In  Christian  conversation  he  often  used  to  select 
a  text  of  Scripture,  and  speak  from  it;  he  would 
sometimes  modestly  secure  a  conversation  of  this 
kind  to  himself.  So,  mentioning  to  Dr.  Stone- 
house,  Col.  i.  11,  he  writes  to  him:  "  If  you  live 
to  give  me  an  hour's  conversation,  this  verse  and 
the  preceding  would  furnish  us  with  a  most  pleas- 
ing and  improving  subject  of  discourse;  the  cor- 
rectness, the  propriety,  the  energy  of  die  inspired 
supplications  are  admirable." 

Mr.  Hervey  writes  to  a  friend:  "I  have  lately 
seen  that  most  e.\cellent  minister  of  the  ever  bles- 


106 


LIFE  OP 


sed  Jesus,  Mr.  Whitefiekl.  I  dined,  supped,  and 
spent  the  evening  with  him  at  Northampton,  in 
company  with  Dr.  Doddridge  and  two  pious  cler- 
gymen of  the  Church  of  England,  both  of  them 
known  to  the  learned  world  by  their  valuable  wri- 
tings; and  surely  I  never  spent  a  more  delightful 
evening,  or  saw  one  that  seemed  to  make  nearer 
approaches  to  tlie  felicity  of  heaven.  A  gentleman 
of  great  worth  and  rank  in  town  invited  us  to  his 
house,  and  gave  us  an  elegant  treat;  but  how 
mean  was  his  provision,  how  coarse  his  delicacies, 
compared  with  the  fruit  of  my  friend's  lips!  they 
dropped  as  the  honey-comb,  and  were  a  well  of 
life." 

As  a  letter  writer,  Mr.  Hervey  certainly  ranks 
among  tlie  first  in  that  department.  His  epistles 
largely  partake  of  the  simplicity,  freedom,  and  fa- 
miliar conversation  becoming  letter  writing.  We 
see  him,  as  it  were,  opening  his  bosom  to  his  Chris- 
tian friends,  and  expressing  himself  with  all  the 
tenderness  and  warmth  of  an  affectionate  brother! 
Mingled  with  singular  modesty,  his  letters  often 
convey  the  sound  heartfelt  experience  of  the  real 
Christian.  Every  incident  is  improved  to  some 
religious  purposes,  and  his  ihouglits  took  naturally 
a  pleasant  turn,  in  speaking  of  the  most  common 
things,  if  applied  to  his  dear  Saviour.  He  writes 
to  the  afflicted,  both  in  body  and  mind,  many  con- 
solatory letters.  He  defends  and  explains  several 
of  tlie  leading  truths  of  the  everlasting  gospel. 
He  directs,  in  almost  all  cases  of  tlie  Christian  life, 
his  correspondents,  who  gladly  sought  his  advice; 
and  when  he  felt  it  necessary  to  administer  reproof 
or  warning,  he  does  not  fail  to  do  it,  though  per- 
formed with  Christian  mildness.  He  does  not 
shrink  back  from  the  painful  duty;  his  wounds  are 


BEV.    JAMES  HERVEY. 


107 


those  of  a  friend,  and  well  fitted  to  answer  their 
salutary  design.  His  letters  were  prayed  over, 
and  were  certainly  useful  to  those  to  whom  he 
originally  sent  them,  and  still  are  precious  and 
useful  as  a  Christian  directory.  They  are  also  a 
pattern  for  religious  letter  writing;  endowed  as  he 
was,  with  qualities  which  rendered  his  correspon- 
dence so  valuahle  and  pleasant,  it  is  a  matter  of 
thankfulness  that  he  was  led  to  write  so  many 
friendly  and  Christian  letters. 

Mr.  Hervey,  in  social  intercourse,  was  distin- 
guished for  a  suavity  of  manners  which  was  pecu- 
liarly engaging,  being  modest,  affable,  polite,  and 
gentle.  He  also  possessed  the  Christian  affection 
of  sincere  and  warm  friendship.  This  happy  dis- 
position is  owned  by  his  friends,  and  appears  in 
his  letters.  We  know  he  was  candid  in  a  high 
degree,  and  his  candour  might  make  him,  particu- 
larly in  his  early  days,  think  better  of  some  men 
than  they  deserved.  In  the  mean  time,  he  laid  it 
down  as  a  rule,  not  to  associate  with  any  as  a  friend, 
in  whom  the  following  infirmities  were  predomi- 
nant:— 1.  If  he  be  reserved,  or  be  incapable  of 
communicating  his  mind  freely.  2.  If  he  be  proud 
of  his  knowledge,  imperious  in  his  disposition, 
and  fond  of  imposing  his  own  sentiments  upon 
us.  3.  If  he  be  positive,  and  will  dispute  to  the 
end,  by  resisting  the  clearest  evidence,  rather  than 
be  overcome.  4.  If  he  be  fretful  and  peevish, 
ready  to  take  things  in  a  wrong  sense.  5.  If  he 
affect  wit  on  all  occasions,  and  is  full  of  his  con- 
ceils,  puns,  quibbles,  jests,  and  repartees.  6.  If 
he  carry  about  him  a  sort  of  craft  and  cunning,  and 
a  disguise,  acting  rather  as  a  spy  than  a  friend. 

One  who  knew  him  well  says,  "  He  had  the 
least  of  a  party  spirit  of  any  man  I  ever  knew. 


108 


LIFE  OP 


He  practised  a  kind  of  forgetting  himself,  in  order 
to  be  agreeable  to  others,  yet  in  so  delicate  a  man- 
ner, as  scarcely  to  let  you  perceive  that  he  was  so 
employed.  He  gave  himself  no  airs  of  superiority, 
but  was  always  on  a  level  with  his  company." 
Another  friend  writes  of  him :  "  His  unfeigned  love 
to  the  evangelical  doctrine  of  free  salvation  and 
eternal  life,  given  in  Christ  Jesus  to  ilie  most  guil- 
ty, was  the  basis  of  that  Christian  friendship  which 
subsisted  between  us.  The  first  letter  I  received 
from  him  was  of  such  a  nature,  that  I  could  not 
but  say,  as  soon  as  I  received  it.  The  Ijord  has  gra- 
ciously given  me  a  friend  for  the  truth's  sake,  and 
this  will  be  a  friend  until  death.  'J'his  hath  proved 
a  truth ;  for  as  it  began,  so  it  continued.  The 
truth,  the  despised,  the  valuable  and  important 
truth,  was  at  the  bottom  of  all  his  regard.  He  was 
not  a  barely  complaisant,  but  a  faithful  friend,  such 
as  would  not  listen  to  the  false  suggestions  and 
idle  whispers  of  any  who,  thinking  his  regard  an 
honour  to  me,  would  strive  to  break  it  oft'.  In  this 
I  proved  that  he  who  loved  his  Master,  loved  his 
cause,  and  passing  by  the  distinctions  made  in  the 
world,  loved  Jesus  in  his  witnesses  and  members." 

In  his  friendship,  he  always  regarded  the  high- 
est, the  eternal  interest  of  his  friends.  Nothing 
can  be  more  amiable,  and  at  the  same  time  more 
dignified,  than  this  fidelity,  in  what  he  esteemed 
the  duty  of  friendship.  To  his  benefactress,  Mrs. 
Orchard,  he  writes:  "  Indeed  you  do  me  too  great 
an  honour,  in  vouchsafing  to  thank  me  for  my  let- 
ters. I  esteem  it  a  favour,  if  you  will  permit  me 
to  remind  you  of  serious  and  everlasting  things ; 
and  might  these  epistolary  remembrances  stir  up 
in  ni}'  benefactress's  mind  a  more  hearty  concern 
for  her  precious  soul,  with  joy  I  would  reflect  on 


REV.   JAMES   HERVEY.  109 


them  in  my  last  moments.  I  fear  I  presume  some- 
times, and  make  too  bold  with  your  condescending 
goodness;  but  if  I  write  freely  and  plainly,  in  a 
pressing-  or  importunate  manner,  impute  it,  for  it 
is  wholly  owing,  to  my  zeal  for  your  spiritual 
welfare.  It  is  because  I  long,  earnestly  long,  to 
see  that  generous  person  one  day  crowned  with 
eternal  glory,  who  has  showed  such  respect,  and 
exercised  such  kindness  to  me.  If  I  tell  her  of 
the  sinfulness  and  corruption  of  our  nature,  it  is 
only  that  she  may  be  cleansed  and  healed  by  Di- 
vine grace.  If  I  speak  of  the  worthlessness  and 
imperfection  of  our  best  services,  it  is  only  that 
she  may  be  brought  to  a  happy  reliance  on  Jesus 
Christ,  and  so  have  life  through  his  blessed  name." 
I  He  prayed  for  his  friends  in  their  distress.  So 
I  he  writes  Dr.  Slonehouse,  when  in  afiliction  :  "  A 
passage  which  I  read  this  very  day,  in  Colossians, 
(chap.  i.  11,)  is  extremely  pertinent  to  your  case, 
and  what  I  shall  frequently  pray  may  be  fuliilled 
to  your  great  consolation,  that  you  may  be  strength- 
ened with  all  might,  according  to  his  glorious 
power,  unto  all  patience  and  long-suffering,  with 
joyfulness." 

He  wished  strictly  to  guard  against  flattery.  To 
a  kind  and  honoured  correspondent,  he  writes: 
"  I  assure  you  it  would  grieve  me  beyond  expres- 
sion, if  any  thing  should  drop  from  my  pen  that 
might  awaken  the  least  vanity  in  your  mind,  or  in- 
I  jure  that  most  precious  virtue,  humility :  this  would 
be  poison  instead  of  balm.  The  high  and  lofty 
One,  that  inhabiteth  eternity,  beholds  the  vain  and 
conceited  afar  off."  To  Dr.  Stonehouse,  whose 
letter  he  apprehended  flattered  him,  he  says: — 
Praise  is  most  enchanting  music  to  the  human 
ear ;  shall  I  say  most  delicious  poison  to  the  human 


110 


LIFE  OP 


taste?  From  strangers,  or  complimentary  corres- 
pondents, we  must  expect  a  touch  upon  this  string, 
but  among  friends,  among  bosom  friends,  it  must 
not  be  so;  you  and  I  will  teach  one  another's 
hearts  to  rise  in  wonder  and  glow  in  love,  at  the 
consideration  of  that  ever  blessed  Sovereign,  who 
is  higher  tlian  the  kings  of  the  earth,  and  yet  lay 
in  darkness  in  the  shadow  of  death,  that  he  might 
make  us  the  sons  of  God  and  exalt  us  to  eternal 
life." 

HIS  PERSONAL  RELIGION  THROUGH  LIFE. 

Mr.  Hervey,  having  laid  a  good  foundation  in 
scriptural  principles  of  grace  and  truth,  was  emi- 
nent for  personal  holiness  in  heart  and  life.  His 
apprehensions  of  truth  were  totally  in  the  light  of 
free  salvation  to  the  guilty,  as  the  ground  of  im- 
mediate confidence.  It  was  matter  of  experience 
to  him,  that,  as  the  chief  of  sinners,  he  had  a  right 
to  say,  Christ  was  his  Saviour,  by  virtue  of  the 
general  free  promise  and  grant  of  the  gospel.  This 
he  actually  did,  and  in  believing,  he  received 
strength  for  duly,  and  also  the  acceptance  of  it. 
Herein  he  not  only  received  the  truths  of  the  gos- 
pel on  these  points,  as  truths,  but  besides,  and  from 
the  influence  of  them  upon  his  mind,  received 
Christ  himself,  as  conveyed  therein  to  him  in  par- 
ticular. These  believing  apprehensions  were  a 
living  principle  of  holiness,  not  merely  as  acts  or 
duties  commanded  by  God,  or  given  as  the  exer- 
cise of  a  grace,  but  chiefly  as  possessing  Christ,  as 
looking  to  and  receiving  Christ,  made  of  God  to 
him  sanctification  and  redemption.  In  the  name 
of  himself  and  other  evangeUcal  preachers,  he  says: 
*'  Our  maxim  is,  though  less  than  nothing,  though 


REV.   JAMES   H  E  R  V  E  Y. 


Ill 


worse  than  nothing,  in  ourselves;  we  can  do  all 
things  through  Christ  strengthening  us."  To  fol- 
low after  iiolincss  he  counted  the  greatest  privi- 
lege. Speaking  of  the  good  actions  of  Abel,  Enoch, 
Abraham,  and  Elias,  he  says:  "  For  my  part,  I 
shall  reckon  myself  truly  happy;  I  shall  bless  the 
day  wherein  I  was  born,  if  I  may  but  be  enabled 
to  follow  the  footsteps  of  those  illustrious  leaders, 
though  I  should  not  reach  the  summit  of  their 
virtues." 

Under  an  impression  of  regard  to  Jesus  as  all  in 
religion,  he  acted  towards  his  friends.  To  one  of 
them  he  relates  the  following  anecdote :  "  I  remem- 
ber a  very  ingenious  gentleman  once  showed  me  a 
composition  in  manuscript,  which  he  intended  for 
the  press,  and  asked  my  opinion  :  it  was  moral,  it 
vras  delicate,  it  was  highly  finished ;  but  I  ventured 
to  tell  him  there  was  one  thing  wanting,  the  name 
and  merits  of  the  divinely  excellent  Jesus,  without 
which  I  feared  the  God  of  heaven  would  not  ac- 
company it  with  his  grace,  and  without  which  I 
was  sure  the  enemy  of  souls  would  laugh  it  to  scorn. 
The  gentleman  seemed  to  be  struck  with  surprise. 
'  The  name  of  Jesus !'  he  replied :  '  this  single  cir- 
cumstance would  frustrate  all  my  expectations, 
would  infallibly  obstruct  the  sale,  and  make  read- 
ers of  refinement  throw  it  aside  with  disdain.'" 
On  this  Mr.  Hervey  makes  the  following  reflec- 
tion: "I  can  never  think  the  spread  of  our  per- 
formances will  be  obstructed  by  pleasing  Him  who 
has  all  hearts  and  events  in  his  sovereign  hand." 
He  further  adds  (upon  his  publishing  Theron  and 
Aspasio,)  "  I  am  willing  to  put  the  matter  to  a 
trial,  and  myself  to  practise  the  advice  I  gave.  So 
far  from  secreting  the  amiable  and  majestic  names 
of  JESUS  and  the  adorable  TRINITY,  I  have 


112 


LIFE  OF 


printed  them  in  grand  and  conspicuous  capitals; 
that  all  the  world  may  see  I  look  upon  it  as  my 
highest  honour  to  acknowledge,  to  venerate,  to 
magnify  my  God  and  Saviour:  and  if  he  has  no 
power  over  the  hearts  of  men,  or  nothing  to  do 
with  the  events  of  the  world ;  if  acceptance  and 
success  are  none  of  his  gifts,  have  no  dependance 
on  his  smile;  then  I  am  content,  perfectly  content, 
to  be  without  them."* 

On  the  whole,  the  motto  of  Mr.  Hervey's  Chris- 
tianity was  LOOKING  UNTO  JESUS.  This  he  wished 
to  do  in  every  case.  In  every  enjoyment  he  look- 
ed to  Jesus,  receiving  it  as  proceeding  from  his 
love,  and  purchased  by  his  agonies.  In  every  tri- 
bulation he  looked  to  Jesus;  he  marked  his  gra- 
cious hand  managing  the  scourge,  or  mingling  the 
bitter  cup,  attempering  it  to  a  proper  severity,  ad- 
justing the  time  of  its  continuance,  and  ready  to 
make  these  seeming  adversities  productive  of  real 
good.  In  every  duty  he  looked  to  Jesus,  for 
strength,  motive,  and  acceptance.  In  every  in- 
firmity and  failing,  he  looked  unto  Jesus,  his  mei-- 
ciful  iligli  Priest,  pleading  his  atoning  blood,  and 
making  intercession  for  transgressors.  In  every 
temptation  he  looked  to  Jesus,  as  the  Captain  of 
salvation,  to  make  him  more  than  a  conqueror 
over  all  his  enemies.  And,  in  the  hour  of  his  de- 
parture, we  know  by  the  sequel  he  looked  unto 
Jesus,  as  he  who  had  swallowed  up  death  in  vic- 
tory, and  was  the  only  way  to  the  abodes  of  bliss. 
These  views  of  Christ  as  the  all  in  religion,  never 
led  him  to  supineness,  security,  or  licentiousness; 
but,  on  the  contrary,  to  active  practical  holiness. 
So  he  says:  "If  Jesus  be  the  first  and  the  last, 

*  Letters  to  Lady  F.  Shirley,  Let.  90. 


KEV.   JAMES  HERVEY. 


113 


should  he  not  be  so  likewise  in  our  esteem,  in  our 
desires,  in  our  glorying,  in  our  life  and  death  ?" 

It  is  well  known  it  was  Mr.  Hervey's  doctrine, 
that  we  must  partake  of  the  comforts  of  the  gospel, 
before  we  can  practise  the  duties  of  the  law.  These 
comforts  he  mentions  in  his  letters:  "A  saving  in- 
terest in  Christ,  a  reneu'al  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  a 
persuasion  of  our  reconciliation  to  God,  and  a  per- 
suasion of  our  future  enjoyment  of  the  heavenly 
happiness."  Few  Christians  have  had  the  follow- 
ing Scriptures  more  exemplified  in  their  experi- 
ence:— "Thou  wilt  keep  him  in  perfect  peace, 
whose  mind  is  stayed  on  thee,  because  he  trusteth 
in  thee;"  and,  "  being  filled  with  all  joy  and  peace 
in  believing."  What  Mr.  Toplady  reports  as  one 
of  his  sayings,  may,  with  great  propriety,  be  ap- 
plied to  himself:  "  To  a  lively  believer,  who  en- 
joys continual  fellowship  with  God,  every  day  is 
a  Sabbath,  and  every  meal  a  sacrament."  His  in- 
timate friend,  Dr.  Stonehouse,  says  of  him:  "  Her- 
vey  was  a  very  cheerful  man,  though  always  ill." 
"  I  am  always,  as  Mr.  Thomson  truly  speaks, 
weak  and  ill,  half  dead  while  I  live;  yet  my  spirit 
rejoices  in  God  my  Saviour,  in  Jehovah  my  righte- 
ousness." This  was  the  more  remarkable  in  Mr. 
Hcrvey,  as,  through  his  constitutional  malady,  in- 
superable languors  seized  him,  unfitting  him  for 
every  business,  rendering  every  enjoyment  unrel- 
ishing,  filling  him  with  misgiving  thoughts,  and 
making  every  thing  that  went  cross  acutely  painful 
to  him. 

Besides  other  consolations,  he  particularly  en- 
joyed a  good  hope  of  eternal  glory.  "  In  that  hap- 
py world,"  says  he,  "where  the  inhabitant  shall 
no  more  say,  I  am  sick,  there  I  hope,  through  the 
blood  of  the  everlasting  covenant,  to  meet  you, 
10 


114 


LIFE  OF 


and  no  longer  tire  you  with  the  disagreeable  men- 
tion of  my  indispositions,  but  join  with  you  in  lov- 
ing, adoring  and  magnifying,  that  dear,  divinely 
excellent  Jesus,  who  loved  us,  and  washed  us  from 
our  sins  in  his  blood."*  Again;  "In  the  heavenly 
courts  of  the  living  God,  there  I  trust  to  meet  you, 
there  to  see  you  walking  among  the  angels  of  light, 
or  sitting  on  a  throne  of  glory,  or  prostrate  at  those 
feet  wliich  were  pierced  with  irons,  and  nailed  to 
the  accursed  tree,  for  your  salvation.  This,  per- 
haps, when  we  see  clearly  the  lengths  and  breadths, 
the  heights  and  depths,  of  our  adored  Redeemer's 
love,  will  be  esteemed  the  most  desirable  posture, 
and  the  most  delightful  employ.  Till  I  am  admit- 
ted to  this  honour,  I  am,"  <fec.t  To  the  same  pur- 
pose he  writes  to  an  intimate  friend,  who  had  asked 
him.  Have  you  peace  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost? 
"  I  sometimes  do  rejoice,  and  not  in  carnal  satis- 
factions, but  in  hope  of  the  glory  which  shall  be 
revealed;  sometimes,  too,  I  am  blessed  with  in- 
ward peace,  and  possess  my  soul  in  tranquillity. "J 
While  Mr.  Hervey  relished  the  divine  pleasures 
of  Christianity,  he  utterly  detested  those  which  the 
thoughtless  and  gay  find  in  romances,  novels,  and 
theatrical  entertainments.  "  These,''  says  he,  "  are 
commonly  calculated  to  inflame  a  wanton  fancy; 
and  if  conducted  with  so  much  modesty  as  not  to 
debauch  the  affections,  they  pervert  the  judgment 
and  bewilder  the  taste.  By  their  incredible  adven- 
tures, their  extravagant  parade  of  gallantry,  and 
their  characters  widely  different  from  truth  and 
nature,  they  inspire  foolish  conceits,  beget  idle 
expectations,  introduce  a  disgust  of  genuine  his- 


*  Letters  to  Lady  F.  Shirley,  Let.  26. 

t  Ibid  62.  t  Letter  to  Mr.  Whitefield. 


REV.  JAMES  HERVEY. 


115 


tory,  and  indispose  their  admirers  to  acquiesce  in 
the  decent  civilities,  or  to  relish  the  satisfactions  of 
common  life."   As  to  the  theatre,  he  says,  "  If  an 

earthquake  should  happen,  ask  Mr.  (that 

advocate  for  the  theatre)  if  he  would  like  to  be 
found  in  the  play-house,  and  go  from  the  boxes  or 
the  pit  to  the  great  tribunal.  Indeed,  the  stage  is 
indefensible.'' 

Mr.  Hervey  considered  the  atonement  of  Jesus 
as  the  great  foundation  of  holiness.  Had  he  in 
the  least  apprehended  that  the  imputed  righteous- 
ness of  Jesus  had  any  tendency  to  subvert  holiness, 
to  confirm  the  hypocritical  professor  in  his  neglect 
of  moral  duties,  or  discourage  the  sincere  convert 
from  the  pursuit  of  real  virtue,  he  would  have  re- 
jected it  with  the  utmost  abhorrence;  but  he,  on 
scriptural  grounds,  viewed  the  atonement  as  a  great 
cause  of  universal  holiness;  that  this  being  applied 
to  the  soul,  delivers  fully  from  the  curse  of  the 
law  and  the  strengdi  of  sin;  that  hereby  all  the 
divine  attributes  are  legally  engaged  to  bestow 
sanctification,  as  the  quintessence  of  eternal  life,  to 
wliich  we  are  adjudged  in  justification;  that  this 
blood  of  Jesus,  in  a  real,  though  inconceivable 
manner,  purges  our  conscience  from  dead  works, 
to  serve  the  living  God;  and  that,  in  this  atone- 
ment, there  is  contained  all  strength  and  motive  to 
excite  and  enable  us  to  holiness  in  all  manner  of 
conversation.  In  his  sermon  on  Galatians  vi.  14, 
he  has  these  words:  "True  morality  is  the  image 
of  the  blessed  God,  and  its  proper  origin  is  from 
the  cross  of  our  divine  Master.  Through  the 
merits  of  his  death,  sinners  are  made  partakers  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  who  writes  upon  their  hearts,  and 
makes  legible  in  their  conversation,  what  was  an- 
ciently written  upon  the  mitre  of  the  high-priest, 


116 


LIFE  OP 


Holiness  to  the  Lord  !  And  O  what  a  motive  is 
the  cross  of  Christ  to  the  exercise  of  every  virtue! 
He  died !  my  Lord !  my  Judge !  my  King !  to  re- 
deem me  from  all  iniquity,  and  to  make  me  zealous 
of  good  works.  How  powerfully,  far  heyond  any 
naked  instruction  of  abstract  reasonings,  do  such 
considerations  invite  us,  urge  us,  constrain  us,  to 
renounce  all  ungodliness,  and  adorn  the  doctrine  of 
God  our  Saviour  in  all  things !"  "  The  cross  of 
Christ  affords  matter  for  the  deepest  humility,  and 
yields  fuel  for  the  most  flaming  love.  Faith  in  our 
crucified  Jesus  is  an  ever  active  principle  of  the 
most  cheerful  and  exact  obedience.  From  the 
atonement  springs  assurance  of  pardon,  a  comfort- 
able persuasion  of  our  reconciliation  with  God,  an 
established  hope  of  eternal  glory.  These  will  be 
operative  as  a  torch  in  the  sheaf;  these  will  enkin- 
dle love,  and  increase  watchfulness;  these  will  be- 
get true  humility  of  mind,  and  work  an  unfeigned 
abhorrence  of  sin ;  these  will  enlarge  the  heart 
with  charity,  and  exalt  the  affections  above  the 
world." 

His  constant  declaration  was,  that  in  his  expe- 
rience he  found  the  all-sufficiency  of  Christ's  right- 
eousness, and  confidence  therein,  to  be  a  never- 
failing  spring  of  true  holiness.  As  to  any  licen- 
tious inference,  which  men  may  draw  from  the 
doctrine  of  the  atonement,  he  thought  they  could 
be  drawn  by  none  but  those  who  give  evidence 
they  do  not  understand  it,  and  cannot  be  said  to 
believe  it.  So  he  says  in  a  letter:  "If  they  do 
not  understand  the  fitness  of  free  justification  to 
promote  holiness,  it  is  because  their  understandings 
are  darkened,  it  is  a  sign  they  want  the  eye-salve." 
From  his  own  experience,  he  says,  "  I  believe  that 
Jesus  Christ,  the  incarnate  God,  is  my  Saviour; 


REV,   JAMES   HERVEY.  117 

that  he  has  done  all  I  was  bound  to  perform,  and 
suflered  all  I  was  condemned  to  sustain,  and  so  he 
procured  a  full  final  salvation  for  a  poor  damnable 
sinner;  I  now  would  fain  serve  him  who  hath 
saved  me;  1  would  glorify  him  before  men,  who 
justified  me  before  God;  I  would  study  to  please 
him  in  righteousness  and  holiness,  all  the  days  of 
my  life."* — "  In  ray  adorable  Redeemer  I  hare  a 
perfect  righteousness,  and  am  completely  justitied ; 
and  shall  I  not  endeavour  to  walk  worthy  of  such 
favours,  to  show  my  gratitude  for  sucli  beneficence, 
by  bringing  forth  the  fruits  of  righteousness  in  all 
my  conversation?" — "In  the  incarnate  Jehovah 
alone,  in  his  divinely  excellent  deeds,  and  unutter- 
ably meritorious  sufferings,  I  have  righteousness  ; 
from  the  joyful  knowledge,  the  personal  appropri- 
ation, and  the  perpetual  improvement  of  this  ines- 
timable privilege,  I  have  strength  lor  my  santifica- 
tion.  Now  do  I  indeed  delight  myself  in  the  Lord, 
who,  perfectly  reconciled  and  infinitely  gracious, 
has  done  so  great  things  for  me.  Now  do  I  cor- 
dially love  my  neighbour;  and  being  so  happy  my- 
self, unfeignedly  long  for  his  eternal  happiness, 
that  he  may  be  a  partaker  with  me  of  this  great  sal- 
vation." He  also  on  this  point  appeals  to  the  ex- 
perience of  all  who  have  tasted  that  the  Lord  is  gra- 
cious: "  Speak,  ye  who  are  enabled  to  believe  that 
God  is  reconciled,  has  received  the  all-satisfying 
atonement,  and  placed  his  Son's  righteousness  to 
your  account!  Have  not  you,  under  such  convic- 
tions, fell  every  power  of  your  souls  springing  for- 
ward to  glorify  your  heavenly  Father?  to  glorify 
him  by  every  instance  of  obedience,  fidelity,  and 
zeal  ? 

As  many  religious  letters  were  sent  to  Mr.  Her- 
*  Letter  to  Mr.  VVhiteficld. 


118 


LIFE  OF 


vey,  which,  through  his  peculiar  bodily  weakness, 
he  was  not  able  to  answer,  he  made  it  an  invariable 
rule  to  remember  these  correspondents  in  his  pray- 
ers. We  have  many  instances  of  this  devotional 
spirit :  "  My  constant  prayer  is,  that  Immanuel 
would  vouchsafe  to  prosper  the  words  of  my  lips, 
and  the  dictates  of  my  pen."  For  his  friends  he 
prayed:  "I  think  I  may  venture  to  say,  without 
vanity  and  without  falsehood,  I  am  grateful;  heart- 
ily wishing  and  praying  that  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
himself,  and  God,  even  our  Father,  may  give 
you  everlasting  salvation,  and  good  hope  through 
grace."* — "  Till  this  heart  ceases  to  beat,  I  shall 
never  cease  to  pray  for  your  happiness." — "  I  may 
truly  say,  I  never  recollect  your  name,  without  im- 
ploring for  you  all  the  fulness  of  the  blessings  of 
the  gospel  of  Christ."  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Orchard 
he  writes:  "  Do  you  desire  my  prayers?  I  wish 
they  were  more  effectual  and  prevailing;  such  as 
they  are  you  both  have  them,  and  shall  have  them 
to  my  life's  end."  In  a  letter  to  Dr.  "Watts,  he 
says:  "Our  excellent  friend.  Dr.  Doddridge,  in- 
forms me  of  the  infirm  condition  of  your  health, 
for  which  reason  I  humbly  beseech  the  Father  of 
spirits,  and  the  God  of  our  life,  to  renew  your 
strength  as  the  eagle,  and  to  recruit  a  lamp  that  hath 
shone  with  distinguished  lustre  in  his  sanctuary; 
or  if  this  may  not  consist  with  the  counsels  of  his 
wisdom,  to  make  all  your  bed  in  your  languishings, 
softly  to  untie  the  cords  of  animal  existence,  and 
enable  your  dislodging  soul  to  pass  triumphantly 
through  the  valley  of  death,  leaning  on  your  be- 
loved Jesus,  and  rejoicing  in  the  greatness  of  his 
salvation." 

*  Letters  to  Lady  F.  Shirley,  Let.  61. 


BEV.   JAMES  HERVEY. 


119 


As  to  his  people,  he  always  remembered  to  la- 
bour for  them  in  the  closet  as  well  as  in  the  pulpit; 
to  wreslle  for  them  in  secret  supplication,  as  well 
as  to  exert  himself  in  public  preaching,  for  their 
spiritual  and  eternal  benefit:  while  he  reckoned  this 
a  pleasing  employ,  he  also  says,  he  thought  it  the 
truest  method  of  expressing  his  pastoral  affection. 
When  he  finished  any  public  service,  he  always 
retired  to  his  closet,  supplicating  the  Lord's  blessing 
on  Avhat  he  had  said.  Exhorting  his  people  to  pray 
for  faith  in  the  righteousness  of  Jesus,  he  says: 
"Seek  this  blessing  to  yourselves,  brethren;  and 
if  I  forget  to  join  my  best  supplications  to  yours, 
let  my  tongue  cleave  to  the  roof  of  my  mouth.  My 
heart's  desire  and  prayer  for  you  shall  always  be, 
that  you  may  believe  to  the  saving  of  the  soul." 

His  importunity  is  illustrated  in  the  following 
well  authenticated  anecdote: — Mr.  Hervey's  man- 
servant, sleeping  in  the  room  immediately  above 
that  of  his  master,  one  night,  long  after  the  family 
was  retired  to  rest,  awoke;  hearing  the  groans 
of  Mr.  Hervey  in  the  room  beneath,  who  seemed 
to  be  in  great  distress,  he  went  down  immediately 
and  opened  the  door  of  his  master's  room ;  but  in- 
stead of  finding  him  in  his  bed,  as  he  expected,  he 
saw  him  prostrate  on  the  floor,  engaged  in  earnest 
importunate  prayer  to  his  God  ;  like  Jacob,  he 
wept  and  made  supplication.  Disturbed  with  this 
unseasonable  appearance,  Mr.  Hervey,  Avith  his 
usual  mildness,  only  said,  "  John,  you  should  not 
have  entered  the  room,  unless  1  had  rung  the  bell." 

As  he  had  occasion,  secret  ejaculations  were  al- 
ways his  exercise.  In  his  own  name,  as  well  as 
in  that  of  a  society  at  Bideford,  he  says  ;  "  Besides 
secret  solemn  prayers,  we  should  accustom  our- 
selves to  short,  but  devout  and  fervent  ejaculations 


120 


LIFE  OF 


all  the  day  long,  that  we  may  fulfil  the  divine  cotn- 
mand  of  praying  always,  praying  without  ceasing, 
watching  unto  prayer ;  in  this  manner  deriving  con- 
tinually fresh  supplies  of  wisdom,  strength,  and 
righteousness,  from  the  all-sufficient  and  inexhaust- 
ible, though  overfloM'ing  source:  and  blessed,  for 
ever  blessed  be  God,  this  may  be  done  in  the  midst 
of  business,  without  hindering  it;  in  the  midst  of 
a  journey,  without  retarding  it;  and  in  the  midst 
of  company,  without  alarming  it." 

Either  in  ejaculations  or  on  his  knees  he  prayed 
in  tlie  following  cases : — When  he  received  a  reli- 
gious book  ;  when  he  gave  away  religious  books  or 
tracts ;  and  when  he  wrote  letters  of  advice,  re- 
proof, or  consolation  :  indeed,  the  grace  of  God 
imbued  him  with  a  happy  devotional  spirit,  which 
appears  on  every  suitable  occasion.  We  may  ob- 
serve it  frequently  in  his  letters :  speaking  of  eter- 
nal life,  he  immediately  adds :  "  And  in  thee,  bles- 
sed Jesus,  in  thee  alone,  this  is  to  be  found." — 
"  Long  eternity  receives  us,  and  then  we  rest  from 
our  labours,  then  we  forget  our  transient  toil,  amidst 
innumerable  ages  of  perfection,  and  glory,  and  joy: 
for  all  this,  not  unto  us,  not  unto  us,  but  to  thy 
name,  unto  thy  love,  thy  righteousness,  thy  inter- 
cession, be  the  praise." 

In  family  devotion,  Mr.  Hervey  was  strict  and 
constant.  Before  supper,  the  evening  prayer  as- 
cended; this,  rather  than  a  later  hour,  was  pitched 
upon,  that  the  family  might  join  in  the  sacred  ser- 
vice with  a  lively  devotion.  No  servant  was  al- 
lowed to  be  absent.  A.  chapter  of  the  sacred  ora- 
cles was  read  ;  Mr.  Hervey  made  the  choice.  He 
selected  some  of  the  most  instructive  and  anima- 
ting portions  of  Scripture,  and  judged  it  advisable 
to  peruse  these  again  and  again,  rather  than  to  go 


REV.  JAMES  HERVEY. 


121 


through  the  whole  of  the  sacred  writings.  He  or- 
dered the  servants  to  take  it  by  turns  to  read ;  and, 
in  this  way,  they  read  through  the  Psalms,  Gos- 
pels, and  Episdes,  so  much  every  day.  When  the 
chapter  was  finished,  he  singled  out  one  verse  of 
Aveighty  and  edifying  import,  which,  for  the  space 
of  a  few  minutes,  he  explained,  applied,  and  aflec- 
tionately  urged  on  their  consciences.  When  a 
friend  was  present,  to  whom  he  thought  his  dis- 
course might  be  useful,  or  when  he  met  with  a 
passage  on  the  love  of  Christ,  he  would  enlarge 
for  a  considerable  time,  and  then  he  concluded 
with  prayer.  This  he  performed  with  great  se- 
riousness and  reverence,  though  he  was  never 
tedious.  Every  part  was  pronounced  with  that 
deliberation  and  solemn  accent  which  commands 
attention  and  creates  awe. 

In  the  morning,  before  breakfast,  the  worship  of 
God  was  renewed.  At  this  time  he  omitted  the 
chapter,  but  would  ask  one  of  the  servants,  "  Well, 
where  was  our  text  last  night?"  After  he  had  re- 
peated it,  he  made  them  give  an  account  of  what 
had  been  said  upon  it;  he  threw  the  substance  of 
the  explanation  into  a  few  searching  and  interest- 
ing questions,  which  he  addressed  to  each  of  them  ; 
he  encouraged  those  whose  answers  showed  that 
they  had  given  diligent  heed  to  his  instructions; 
and,  when  needful,  he  put  on  an  air  of  severity, 
mixed  with  tenderness,  and  reproved  the  negli- 
gent. He  re-inculcated  the  principal  points,  charg- 
ing them  to  retain  the  doctrines  in  their  memories, 
and  revolve  them  in  their  thoughts,  while  they  were 
pursuing  their  respective  employments  through  the 
day.  He  then  concluded  with  prayer,  under  the 
influence  of  the  same  devotional  temper. 

He  caused  all  his  family  to  attend  public  wor- 
11 


122 


LIFE  OF 


ship.  So  lie  writes  to  a  friend:  "  Thanks  for  tlie 
venison;  we  cannot  dress  it  to-day;  all  my  family 
are  to  be  at  court  this  morning;  the  King  of  hea- 
ven has  sent  positive  orders,  and  will  not  excuse 
either  man-servant  or  maid-servant." 

Under  a  sense  of  iiuman  depravity,  Mr.  Hervey, 
though  one  of  the  best  of  men,  lamented  before 
God  his  Ignorance  of  the  divine  perfections,  his 
slowness  of  heart  to  believe  the  divine  promises, 
his  languor  of  gratitude  for  the  inestimable  and  in- 
numerable gifts  of  the  Divine  goodness.  He  fre- 
quently felt  deadness  in  his  devotions,  disorder  in 
his  ad'ections,  and  other  relics  of  the  original  lea- 
ven. Under  these  he  groaned,  and  sought  daily 
by  faith,  prayer,  and  watchfulness,  more  and  more 
to  put  off  this  old  man,  which  is  corrupt,  according 
to  the  deceitful  lusts :  and  to  alleviate  his  sorrow, 
he  endeavoured  continually  to  remember,  that  how- 
ever unworthy  he  now  was,  however  vile  he  had 
been,  his  adored  Redeemer's  righteousness  was 
perfecdy  infinite,  and  in  it  he  was  fully  warranted 
to  make  his  boast,  and  that  his  old  man  was  cruci- 
fied with  Jesus.  The  suitable  reflection  of  Mr. 
Hervey  in  this  case,  is  expressed  in  the  following 
words : — "  We  believe  a  friend,  when  he  makes  a 
profession  of  kindness ;  and  why  are  we  so  back- 
ward to  believe  the  repeated,  more  solemn,  and  in- 
finitely more  faithful  assurances,  which  the  Scrip- 
tures give  us  of  our  Redeemer's  love?  Let  us  blush 
and  be  confounded  for  our  unbelief,  and  may  the 
Lord  of  all  power  and  grace  help  our  unbelief." — 
"  Unbelief  treats  God  as  a  liar;  because  it  rejects 
the  testimony  he  has  borne  concerning  his  dear 
Son.  Unbelief  makes  us  idolize  our  own  perform- 
ances, sacrilegiously  rob  the  Redeemer  of  his  ho- 
nour, and  most  arrogantly  ascribe  them  to  self." — 


REV.    JAMES   HERVEY.  123 


"  I  can,'  I  assure  j^ou,  act  an  implicit  faitii  on  you, 
and  believe  you  have  excellent  reasons  for  your 
conduct,  though  they  should  be  hid  from  my  know- 
ledge; but  such  is  my  weakness,  (O  that  I  may 
blush,  and  be  confounded  under  a  sense  of  it!)  I 
can  hardly  do  the  same  with  regard  to  the  unerring 
and  ever-gracious  God.  '  Lord,  increase  our  faith,' 
is  a  supplication  which  we  should  often  address  to 
the  throne  of  grace." 

"  Concerning  the  Scriptures,"  he  says,  "  I  would 
rejoice  to  hold  conferences  in  private  houses,  in 
the  pulpit,  in  my  family,  and  when  abroad;  nay, 
I  would  be  wholly  employed  about  them,  unless 
the  inbred  corruption  of  my  heart  opposed."  He 
exclaims,  "  O  blessed  book  !  our  better,  our  spirit- 
ual sun,  that  sheddest  thy  bright  beams  upon  our 
souls,  and  furnishest  us  with  tihe  light  of  life  !  thou 
sovereign  antidote  against  the  delusions  of  the 
devil,  the  treachery  of  our  fallen  nature,  and  the 
darkness  of  the  world !  thou  guide,  to  lead  us 
safely  through  the  waves  of  this  miserable  life  un- 
to our  heavenly  and  everlasting  rest!  No  wonder 
that  David  counted  his  kingdom  as  nothing,  and 
called  thee  his  heritage  and  portion  for  ever;  no 
wonder  the  holy  martyrs  parted  with  their  estates, 
their  families,  their  blood,  radier  than  wiih  thee. 
'Tis  rather  to  be  v/ondered  at,  that  mankind  do  not 
prize  thee  as  their  richest  jewel,  converse  with 
thee  as  their  sweetest  companion,  and  talk  of  thee 
as  the  dearest  object  of  their  love,  all  the  day  long, 
"f  is  with  regret  I  leave  off  speaking  of  thy  un- 
speakable worth." — "  I  have  often  thought  that 
the  Scripture  is  finely  calculated  to  furnish  out  the 
most  exquisite  entertainment  to  the  imagination, 
from  those  principal  sources  mentioned  by  Addi- 
•  son,  the  great,  the  beautiful,  and  the  new.  But 


124 


LITE  OF 


what  is  this  compared  with  that  infinitely  noble 
benefit,  to  impart  which  is  the  professed  design  of 
the  Bible,  the  benefit  of  maiiing  us  wise  unto  sal- 
vation, of  making  us  partakers  of  a  divine  nature." 

In  his  last  days  he  prayed  much  over  his  Bible; 
througli  life  he  did  the  same.  Reading  the  word 
and  prayer  he  found  to  be  duties  which  naturally 
assisted  one  another;  the  one  furnishing  him  with 
confessions,  pleas,  and  arguments ;  the  other  pro- 
moting solemnity  and  spirituality  of  mind,  which 
he  found  went  further  toward  his  understanding 
the  Scriptures  than  a  library  of  expositions.  He 
mentions  some  Scriptures  he  prayed  over:  "I 
will  heal  your  backslidings,  and  love  you  freely." 
"  There  shall  be  a  fountain  opened  for  the  house  of 
David,"  &c.  &c. 

Mr.  Hervey  possessed  and  cultivated  spiritual- 
mindedness  in  a  remarkable  degree.  He  knew  it 
became  him  as  a  Christian  divine;  and  in  the  ex- 
ercise of  it  he  took  great  delight.  This  is  evident 
in  his  Meditations.  In  the  infancy  of  his  Chris- 
tianity and  evangelical  knowledge,  he  manifests 
the  spiritual  turn  of  his  mind.  In  the  following 
letter  he  recapitulates  his  meditations  in  a  journey 
during  the  early  part  of  his  ministry: — "  On  Sun- 
day I  was  called  out  by  Providence  from  my  own 
flock,  to  preach  at  two  strange  churches.  They 
lay  at  a  considerable  distance  from  each  other,  and 
from  Dummer,  so  that  in  passing  to  them,  and  re- 
pairing again  to  my  own  parish,  I  travelled  a  good 
many  miles.  All  the  way  I  went  along,  I  was  en- 
tertained in  the  finest  manner  imaginable.  1  was 
in  company  with  a  gentleman  of  a  clear  understand- 
ing and  a  tolerable  share  of  reading.  He  could 
talk  judiciously  upon  most  topics,  and  would  some- 
times bestow  some  hints  upon  religious  ones :  so 


REV.  JAMES   H  E  R  V  E  Y. 


125 


that  when  I  was  disposed  for  conversation,  I  could 
have  immediate  recourse  to  one  that  would  re- 
fine my  taste,  and  improve  my  judgment,  if  not 
minister  grace  to  my  heart.  At  our  first  setting 
out,  we  went  over  strong  ground,  where  no  seed 
was  sown,  and  so  no  fruit  could  grow.  Its  useless- 
ness  was  not  owing  to  any  defect  in  point  of  fer- 
tility, but  to  a  want  of  being  manured.    Is  not  this 

'the  case  of  many  immortal  souls,  who  bid  fair  for 
becoming  saints,  but  are  lost  and  spoiled  for  want 
of  care  and  instruction  ?    O  for  faithful  shepherds 

'to  seek  them,  for  industrious  husbandmen  to  culti- 
vate them  !  Send,  Lord,  plenty  of  such  to  work 
in  thy  vineyard,  and  to  watch  over  thy  sheep ! 
This  coarse  beginning,  though  it  had  no  form  or 
comeliness  in  itself,  yet  tended  to  give  an  additional 
verdure  to  the  succeeding  scenes ;  so  the  bottom- 
less pit,  and  the  unquenchable  fire,  though  infi- 
nitely formidable,  will  create  in  the  elect  a  tasteful 
relish  and  enjoyment  of  their  heavenly  felicity. 
We  made  more  haste  than  ordinary  to  get  away 
from  this  barren  spot.  For  why  should  one  fre- 
quent such  acquaintance,  Avhere  all  that  occurs  is 
vain  and  unprofitable?  where  nothing  truly  benefi- 
cial can  either  be  imparted  or  acquired?  When 
we  were  advanced  a  litde  further,  we  entered  upon 
a  large  inclosure;  here  were  all  the  footsteps  of  a 
commendable  and  successful  industry.  The  wheat 
was  in  the  blade,  and  sprang  up  with  a  plenteous 
increase,  and  in  goodly  array.  This  suggested  to 
me  the  value  of  a  diligent  hand:  by  a  spirit  of 
management,  even  the  wilderness  may  be  brought 
to  bud  and  blossom  as  a  rose:  and  were  there  such 
a  spirit  among  the  professors  of  religion,  it  would 
prompt  them  to  be,  like  Dorcas,  full  of  good  works, 
or  like  the  great  apostle,  continually  aspiring  after 


126 


LIFE  OP 


fresh  and  higher  measures  of  perfection.  We 
should  be  frugal  of  our  time,  carefid  of  all  our  tal- 
ents, and  laudably  covetous  of  every  grain  of  im- 
provement in  piety.  VVe  held  on  our  course, 
admiring  still  as  we  went,  the  teeming  earth,  the 
infant  corn,  and  the  pregnant  promises  of  a  prodi- 
gious harvest.  This  led  me  to  muse  upon  one  of 
the  distinguishing  doctrines  of  Christianity,  I  mean 
the  general  resurrection.  It  convinced  me  how 
perfectly  possible  it  was  widi  God  to  raise  the 
dead;  it  gave  me  also  a  glimpse  of  that  perfection 
of  beauty  to  which  the  bodies  of  the  saints  shall' 
rise ;  for  a  little  while  ago  I  beheld,  and,  lo !  the 
whole  vegetable  world  was  naked  and  bare,  with- 
out any  ornament;  but  now  how  charming  it  ap- 
pears !  no  virgin  is  more  gay  and  blooming,  no 
bride  is  better  arrayed,  or  more  sparkling;  and  if 
God  so  enlivens  and  clothes  the  grass  of  the  earth, 
and  the  tenants  of  the  field,  how  much  more  shall 
he  quicken  and  ennoble  our  mortal  bodies,  which 
we  hope  are  the  temples  of  the  Holy  Ghost!  Our 
next  remove  was  to  a  lane,  set  on  either  side  with 
lofty  trees  and  humble  shrubs.  Here  the  twigs 
were  gemmed  with  buds,  just  ready  to  open  and 
unfold ;  there  they  were  already  opened  into  blos- 
soms. O  the  adorable  efficacy  of  the  divine  voice ! 
how  powerfully  and  lastingly  it  operates!  God 
said  once,  'Let  the  earth  bring  forth;'  he  spake 
not  twice,  and  yet  how  punctually  does  nature 
obey  this  single  command!  O  that  men  would  lay 
this  to  heart,  and  learn  a  lesson  of  obedience  from 
the  inanimate  creation !  All  other  things  continue 
according  to  their  Maker's  ordinance,  and  shall  man 
be  the  only  rebel  in  the  kingdom  of  nature?  While 
our  sight  was  regaled  in  this  manner,  a  set  of 
chiming  bells  saluted  our  ears,  with  a  solemn  and 


REV.  JAMES  HEKVEY. 


127 


serene  harmony.  It  had  no  great  diversity  of  stops, 
nor  artful  mixture  of  notes,  but  surely  it  was  most 
gladdening  music,  and  spoke  a  heavenly  meaning. 
It  was  calculated  to  inspire  such  a  joy  as  the  royal 
Psalmist  felt,  when  he  heard  the  acceptable  invita- 
tion to  go  up  to  the  house  of  the  Lord.  On  a  sud- 
den, when  we  were  least  apprehensive  of  it,  the 
wind  wheeled  about,  and  bore  away  the  silver 
sounds,  but  it  was  only  to  bring  them  back  again, 
as  unexpectedly,  with  the  fresh  pleasure  of  a  grate- 
ful surprise.  Here  I  thought  of  the  sweet  influ- 
ences of  grace,  and  wished  for  that  happy  time, 
when  the  visits  of  the  blessed  Spirit  will  be  unin- 
terrupted." 

The  following  are  instances  of  his  spiritual  turn, 
from  his  letters: — "  There  is  at  Bideford,  and  has 
been  for  a  considerable  time,  a  townsman  of  mine ; 

his  name  is  .    I  little  thought  to  find  such 

a  person  in  these  remote  parts:  it  puts  me  in  mind 
of  heaven,  where  people  of  every  kindred  and 
tongue,  of  all  nations  and  languages,  will  form  one 
general  and  glorious  assembly." — "  I  have  been 
prevailed  on  to  sit  for  my  picture:  if  ever  portrait 
was  the  shadow  of  a  shadow,  mine  is.  O  that  I 
may  be  renewed  after  the  amiable  image  of  the 
blessed  Jesus!  and  when  I  awake  up  after  his 
likeness,  I  shall  be  satisfied  with  it."  A  gentle- 
man being  with  him  in  his  garden,  he  plucked  a 
rose,  and  desired  him  to  present  it  to  his  wife,  to 
put  her  in  mind  of  the  Rose  of  Sharon.  She  paid 
that  regard  to  the  giver  and  the  gift,  as  to  put  it 
into  a  frame  with  a  glass.  Upon  hearing  of  this, 
he  writes:  "  Your  lady  has  shown  the  most  wel- 
come complaisance  to  me  and  to  the  rose;  to  me, 
in  accepting  what  is  less  than  a  trifle;  to  the  rose, 
in  putting  it  to  such  a  use:  and  could  that  poor 


128 


LIFE  OF 


vegetable  be  sensible,  it  would  rejoice  to  be  a  re- 
membrancer of  its  amiable  Creator.'  The  prophet 
calls  upon  the  whole  creation,  inanimate  as  it  is, 
to  exult  and  triumph  in  the  grace  of  our  incarnate 
God:  Sing,  O  heavens!  be  joyful,  O  earth!  break 
forth  into  singing,  ye  mountains!  O  forest,  and 
every  tree,  whether  cultivated  or  wild!  for  the 
Lord,  by  his  incarnation,  blood  and  righteousness, 
hath  redeemed  Jacob  and  glorified  himself,  most 
magnificently  displayed  all  his  divine  perfections, 
in  the  salvation  of  Israel.  I  heartily  wish  she 
may  every  day  become  more  and  more  acquainted 
with  the  Rose  of  Sharon,  that  his  loveliness,  riches 
and  glory  may  be  revealed  in  her  heart  by  the 
Holy  Ghost.  Happy  the  souls  in  which  this 
flower  of  heaven  blossoms,  which  are  charmed 
with  its  beauty  and  refreshed  with  its  odours; 
their  happiness  will  not  fade  away  as  a  leaf,  but, 
like  the  merit  and  mercy  of  their  Lord,  will  be  new 
every  morning,  new  every  moment,  new  through 
eternal  ages." 

The  following  are  other  extracts:  "  The  small- 
pox is  marking  many  here,  and  carrying  off  some 
among  us.  I  have  often  thought  it  is  a  lively  em- 
blem of  the  condition  of  our  souls,  by  corrupt  na- 
ture and  evil  practice;  so  polluted,  so  loathsome, 
is  our  better  part,  in  the  eye  of  uncreated  purity, 
till  we  are  cleansed  in  redeeming  blood.  May  we 
earnestly  long  to  be  washed  in  that  fountain  opened 
in  our  Saviour's  side,  for  sin  and  uncleanness." — 
"  I  am  much  pleased  with  the  appearance  of  a 
wintry  guest,  a  fall  of  snow,  because  it  gives  me  a 
fine  idea  of  that  spotless  purity  which  I  trust  my 
friend  will  derive  from  the  precious  blood  of  Christ. 
How  endearing  are  his  words,  and  how  inestimable 
his  promise!    '  Come  now,  let  us  reason  together, 


REV.    JAMES  HERVEY. 


129 


saith  the  Lord ;  though  your  iniquities  be  as  s-car- 
let,  they  shall  be  as  snow ;  thougli  they  be  red  like 
ciinison,  they  shall  be  as  wool!'  How  noble  is 
ihc  declaration,  and  how  triumphant  is  the  failh  of 
David,  speaking  upon  the  same  subject!  'Thou 
shalt  purge  me  with  hyssop  and  I  shall  be  clean; 
thou  shalt  wash  me,  and  I  shall  be  whiter  than 
snow.'  These  passages  must  certainly  refer  to  the 
blood  of  the  everlasting  covenant,  witliout  which 
there  is  no  remission;  they  cannot  but  relate  to  the 
blood  of  the  Lamb,  which  taketh  away  the  sin  of 
the  world.  How  great  must  he  be,  how  infinitely 
glorious,  who  can  take  away  all  sins!  so  entirely 
take  them  away,  that  not  the  least  spot  or  blemish 
shall  remain." 

"  Will  you  give  me  leave  to  transmit  in  writing 
■what  I  heard  in  conversation,  an  event  that  lately 
happened,  and  told  by  a  person  who  was  an  eye- 
witness to  the  whole  ?  A  soldier  was  condemned  to 
be  executed  for  desertion,  a  young  man,  in  the 
prime  of  life,  with  the  bloom  of  health  in  his  coun- 
tenance. Being  come  to  the  place  of  execution,  he 
prepared  himself  for  death  without  any  emotion  of 
fear,  opened  his  breast  without  any  change  of  coun- 
tenance, and  drew  the  cap  over  his  eyes  without 
the  least  trepidation  in  his  limbs.  Six  of  his  com- 
rades were  draughted  out,  and  ordered  to  advance 
softly  forwards.  Being  come  within  four  yards  of 
the  criminal,  they  received  orders  to  fire,  and  shot 
each  his  ball  quite  through  the  body.  After  this, 
the  corpse,  with  its  face  uncovered,  and  the  wounds 
bleeding,  was  extended  on  the  ground,  and  the 
whole  regiment,  to  make  the  terror  more  impres- 
sive, marched  over  its  legs.  The  sight  was  so 
awful,  that  one  of  the  soldiers  fainted  away  as  he 
passed  by  the  dismal  spectacle;  and  the  account  so 


130 


r  I  F  E  OF 


aflecting,  that  I  observed  llie  tears  stealing  down 
the  cheeks  of  a  lady,  when  it  was  related.  Will 
not  this  help  us  to  form  some  faint  apprehensions 
of  God  Almighty's  tender  and  amazing  love  in 
Christ  Jesus?  When  we  had  deserted  his  service, 
and  rebelled  against  his  majesty,  not  once  or  twice 
only,  but  times  out  of  number,  did  he  pass  sentence 
upon  us  ?  No,  he  exercised  all  long-suffering  to- 
ward us ;  instead  of  condemning  us,  he  deputed 
his  own  Son  to  be  condemned,  and  to  suffer  in  our 
room.  He  resigned  the  dearly-beloved  of  his  soul, 
the  immaculate  and  blessed  Jesus,  to  receive  all 
the  arrows  of  vengeance  into  his  heart;  to  become 
a  pale,  bloody,  mangled  corpse,  a  spectacle  of 
misery  to  angels  and  men,  on  purpose  tliat  we  might 
go  free,  that  we  might  be  delivered  from  punish- 
ment, and  become  heirs  of  eternal  happiness.  O 
adorable  kindness  to  none-such  rebels,  freely  to 
pardon  and  fully  to  forgive  them !  Still  more  stu- 
pendous, to  raise  them  from  the  block  to  the  highest 
preferment  in  heaven,- to  exalt  them  from  the  stake 
to  a  glorious  crown,  or  everlasting  kingdom ;  and 
to  surrender  his  illustrious  and  divine  Son  in  their 
place,  this  is  loving  kindness  unutterable  and  incon- 
ceivable." 

A  gentleman  waiting  in  his  parlour,  to  transact 
some  business  as  to  ploughing  his  parsonage- 
grounds,  while  he  was  writing  a  letter  to  a  minis- 
ter, he  added  :  "  May  prosperity  attend  his  plough ; 
but,  above  all,  may  it  attend  yours  and  mine,  Which 
would  open  the  ground  for  the  seed  of  the  everlast- 
ing gospel." 

Several  pious  ministers,  of  different  denomina- 
tions, having  for  two  days  successively  dined  with 
him,  he  exclaims,  "  O  for  that  hour  when  we  shall 
all  sit  down  at  the  marriage-feast  of  the  Lamb ! 


REV,  JAMES    H  E  R  V  E  Y. 


131 


May  we  taste  it  by  faith,  till  our  souls  are  satiated 
with  its  fulness  in  glory." 

Recollecting  a  most  delicate  piece  of  flattery,  ad- 
dressed 10  a  Roman  emperor  by  Horace  the  poet, 
he  says;  "This  I  would  cast  into  a  Christian 
mould,  and  thus  translate : 

"  When  faith  presents  the  Saviour's  death, 
And  whispers,  This  is  mine, 
Sweetly  my  rising  hours  advance; 
And  peacefiilly  decline. 

"  While  such  my  views,  the  radiant  sun 
Sheds  a  most  sprightly  ray ; 
Each  object  smiles,  all  nature  charms, — 
I  sing  my  cares  away." 

Mr.  Hervey,  in  his  younger  years,  was  vain  and 
proud  to  a  singular  degree ;  but  the  grace  of  God 
made  him  low  in  his  own  eyes.  Learning  of  Him 
who  is  meek  and  lowly,  "  he  walked  softly  all  his 
years."  His  friend  Ryland  says  of  him,  in  this 
respect,  "  He  practised  a  kind  of  forgetfuiness  of 
himself,  in  order  to  be  agreeable  to  others.  He 
gave  himself  no- air  of  superiority  on  account  of  his 
being  a  minister  of  the  Established  Church.  He 
was  always  on  a  level  with  his  company.  He 
never  considered  himself  as  James  Hervey  the 
celebrated  writer,  but  as  a  poor  guilty  sinner, 
equally  indebted  to  Divine  grace,  with  the  lowest 
day-labourer  in  his  parish."  "  If  Mr.  Hervey  may 
be  believed,"  says  one  of  his  intimate  friends, 
"  nothing  was  mqj-e  offensive  to  him,  tlian  those 
encomiums  on  his  piety,  which  only  serve  to  ren- 
der his  confession  of  himself  hypocritical,  and  his 
doctrine  false.  In  all  his  thoughts,  in  all  his  prac- 
tice, he  found  himself  a  sinner,  and  in  nothing 
more  so  than  in  entertaining  any  good  conceit  of 


132 


LIFE  OF 


himself,  or  his  own  state,  by  comparison  with 
other  men.  God  had  taught  him  he  had  no  rule 
to  measure  by,  but  the  perfect  law  or  will  of 
Heaven,  and  every  single  deviation  served  to  ren- 
der his  plea  of  righteousness  vain,  to  class  him 
among  the  rest  of  mankind-sinners,  and  subject 
him  to  eternal  vengeance.  In  the  view  of  these 
circumstances,  mercy  revealed  in  Christ  Jesus  to 
the  guilty  was  a  precious,  joyful  sound,  which  he 
heard  and  lived  by.  Had  he  heard  any  one  des- 
cribe the  holy,  heavenly,  pious  Mr.  Hervey,  he 
would  have  replied,  '  You  have  described  a  man 
that  wdl  never  enter  heaven,  but  as  the  guilty 
James  Hervey.' " 

In  a  letter,  he  says,  "  I  am  ashamed  of  my  un- 
profitableness ;  I  certainly  have  been  a  most  un- 
faithful servant.  Tiie  traces  of  my  ministerial  con- 
duct are  like  the  path-way  of  a  keel  in  the  waves ; 
oblivion  is  the  only  honour,  forgiveness  all  the  re- 
ward, I  crave  for  my  service.  O  may  the  blood  of 
the  heavenly  Lamb  be  my  atonement,  or  I  sink  into 
aggravated  condemnation !  May  his  most  perfect 
obedience  be  my  righteousness,  or  I  must  be  cover- 
ed with  utter  confusion  !  and  now  my  Lord  is  taking 
away  my  stewardship,  which  I  have  so  wretchedly 
misimpi-oved." — "  O  tliat  in  every  thing  I  may 
have  the  teachableness  of  a  babe  !  I  have  the  weak- 
ness. Lord  endow  me  with  the  docility,  of  a  wean- 
ed child,  yea,  of  a  babe  and  suckling," — "  O  that 
I  may  evermore  grow  in  a  self-denying,  self-ab- 
horring temper!  then  how  gladly  shall  1  submit  to 
the  righteousness  of  God." — "  I  am  sure  my  poor, 
lame,  mangled  conformity  to  my  maker's  com- 
mands, fills  me  with  shame,  and  would  make  me 
hang  down  my  head  as  a  bulrush ;  but  my  Lord's 
death,  my  Lord's  obedience,  my  divine  Lord's 


EEV.   JAMES  HERVEY. 


133 


merit,  encourages  me,  emboldens  me,  and  enables 
me  to  say,  "  Who  shall  condemn  me?" 

To  his  friend,  Mr.  RIoses  Brown,  he  writes  :  "I 

was  much  pleased  with  Mr.  's  observations  on 

my  two  little  volumes  (the  Meditations.)  Let  the 
righteous  smite  me  friendly,  and  reprove  me;  with 
thankfulness  I  shall  receive,  with  readiness  submit 

to  correction.  I  am  very  far  from  tliinking  Mr.  

a  sour  critic ;  on  the  contrary,  I  admire  his  candour, 
in  transmitting  the  mistakes  to  the  author  himself, 
and  not  trumpeting  them  abroad  to  the  discredit  of 
the  work.  I  have  so  high  an  opinion  of  his  judg- 
ment, that  if  the  Father  of  lights  should  enable  me 
to  linish  the  small  piece  I  am  attempting,  I  shall  be 
extremely  glad  to  have  every  sheet  pass  under  the 
correction  of  so  wise  and  penetrating  an  observer." 
The  following  anecdote  is  related  on  this  subject: — 
Mr.  Hervey,  being  in  company  with  a  person  who 
was  paying  him  some  compliments  on  account  of 
his  writings,  replied,  laying  his  hand  on  his  breast, 
"  O  Sir !  you  would  not  strike  the  sparks  of  ap- 
plause, if  you  knew  how  much  corrupt  tinder  I 
have  within." 

Even  under  his  trials  he  was  thankful.  He  says, 
•«  O  that  I  may  be  enabled  to  bless  the  hand,  and 
kiss  the  rod  that  smites  me  !  I  thank  the  physician 
who  prescribes  my  medicines,  though  disgustful 
and  expensive.  I  thank  the  surgeon  who  has 
pierced  my  veins,  and  taken  away  even  part  of  my 
vital  blood,  because  1  am  assured  he  intends  my 
welfare.  And  is  there  not  infinitely  greater  reason 
to  thank  the  unerring  and  tender  providence  of  my 
God,  who  never  afflicts  arbitrarily,  but  graciously, 
nor  grieves  the  children  of  men,  but  for  their  spiri- 
tual and  eternal  good?" 

To  Dr.  Watts  he  writes:  "  Pardon  me  if  I  take 


134 


LIFE  OF 


leave  to  interrupt  your  important  studies  for  the 
good  of  mankind,  or  suspend  for  one  moment  your 
communion  with  the  blessed  God,  I  cannot  ex- 
cuse myself,  without  expressing  my  gratitude  for 
the  present,  by  your  order,  lately  transmitted  by 
your  bookseller,  (the  Doctor's  discourses  on  the 
glory  of  Christ  as  God-man,)  which  I  shall  value, 
not  only  for  its  instructive  contents,  but  in  a  very 
peculiar  manner  for  the  sake  of  the  author  and 
giver." 

While  Mr.  Hervey  possessed  the  feelings  of  hu- 
man nature,  his  temper  was  by  grace  subdued  into 
the  meekness  and  gentleness  of  Christ  Though 
naturally  irascible,  having  put  on  Christ,  he  put  on 
a  meek  and  quiet  spirit.  He  had  some  very  sharp 
trials  of  his  patience  both  from  God  and  man, 
but  he  learned  meekness  by  the  things  which  he 
suffered. 

He  made  it  a  constant  rule  to  pray  for  all  who 
affronted  or  injured  him.  A  nobleman  having  af- 
fronted one  of  his  correspondents  and  himself,  he 
seems  to  have  felt  indignant  on  the  occasion,  and 
to  have  uttered  passionate  expressions;  but  he  im- 
mediately recovered  himself,  and  added,  "  Come, 
let  us  take  a  generous  revenge;  let  us  beseech  the 
King  of  kings,  and  Lord  of  lords,  to  bless  with  the 
knowledge  of  Clu-ist,  with  all  the  riches  of  his  gos- 
pel, him  who  had  not  benevolence  enough  to  grant 
us  so  small  a  boon." 

A  friend  having  sent  him  a  caution  against  being 
drawn  into  controversy  with  a  warm  and  overbear- 
ing disputant,  he  writes:  "  Controversj'  is  as  much 
my  aversion  as  it  can  be  your's,  for  where  this 
begins,  religion  too  often  ends.  I  shall  not  en- 
ter the  lists,  I  promise  you,  with  any  one,  unless 
I  am  absolutely  necessitated  to  it;  but  if  I  am  com- 


BEV.   JAMES  HERVEY. 


135 


pelled  to  appear  in  print  on  such  an  occasion, 
I  sliall  endeavour  to  pay  due  regard  to  Solomon's 
excellent  advice.  '  A  soft  answer  turnelii  away 
wrath,  but  grievous  words  stir  up  anger,'  Prov. 
XV.  I.  Instead  of  exasperating  my  adversary  by 
cutting  reprehensions,  I  will,  if  possible,  constrain 
him,  by  a  candid  and  respectful  treatment,  to  mo- 
derate his  temper,  and,  by  coercive  propriety  of 
arguments,  persuade  him  to  relinquish  such  tenets 
as  I  think  erroneous.  God  grant  I  may  never  be- 
have with  indecent  resentment,  how  great  soever 
may  be  the  provocation  of  my  gainsayers  ;  but  that 
in  all  my  writings  and  conversation,  1  may  avoid  tiie 
hasty  spirit,  lest  I  injure  my  own  peace  of  mind, 
and  disgrace  my  profession  as  a  Christian  and  a 
minister.  It  is  a  rule  with  me,  always  to  speak 
well  of  the  good  qualities  of  even  bad  men,  espe- 
cially when  others  are  censuring  them  with  an 
unmerciful  severity:  and  I  could  wish  every  con- 
troversialist would  learn  so  much  candour,  as  to 
put  the  best  construction  on  his  opponent's  book, 
and  to  embrace  what  was  in  general  good  in  it, 
however  he  might  censure  some  particular  opinion 
of  the  contending  author.  To  live  peaceably  with 
all  men,  is  my  earnest  desire  and  daily  prayer; 
and,  in  order  to  do  this,  I  am  more  and  more  con- 
vinced of  the  necessity  of  candour,  humility,  and 
a  conscientious  regard  to  the  pattern  of  our  Lord 
and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ." — "  I  have  often  won- 
dered that  disputants,  especially  on  religious  sub- 
jects, should  choose  to  deal  in  such  acrimonious 
and  reproachful  language.  Does  the  wrath  of  man 
work  the  righteousness  of  God?  or  is  a  passionate 
invective  the  proper  means,  either  to  conciliate  our 
affections,  or  convince  our  judgment?  Why  should 
we  not  write  in  the  same  gentle  and  obliging  strain 


136 


LIFE  OF 


in  which  we  converse  ?  Why  should  not  our  con- 
troversies from  the  press  be  carried  on  with  such  a 
candid  and  amiable  strife?  This  would  certainly 
render  them  more  pleasing  to  the  reader,  more  pro- 
fitable to  the  public,  and  much  more  likely  to  have 
the  desired  effect  on  our  opponent." 

When  he  was  misrepresented  and  calumniated, 
he  would  say :  "  Our  enemies  are  sometimes  our 
best  friends,  and  tell  us  truths,  and  then  we  should 
amend  our  faults,  and  be  thankful  for  such  informa- 
tion; and  if  what  they  say  is  not  true,  and  only 
spoken  through  malice,  then  such  persons  are  to 
be  considered  as  diseased  in  their  minds,  and  we 
should  pray  for  them  ;  they  are  to  be  pitied,  and  I 
might  as  justly  be  angry  with  the  man  who  is  dis- 
eased in  his  body. 

We  have  the  following,  among  other  instances 
of  his  meekness: — "  One  of  his  tenants,  in  whose 
field  he  was  gently  riding,  because  it  was  clean 
and  by  the  side  of  the  road,  threatened  to  shoot 
him  ;  to  whom  he  said,  "  Pray,  Mr.  Nichols,  don't 
be  so  angry,  and  I  will  do  you  no  harm ;  the  first 
gap  I  come  to,  that  I  can  lead  my  horse  over,  I'll 
do  it,  and  creep  through  the  hedge  myself." 

His  meekness  was  produced  and  animated  by 
evangelical  views.  To  a  friend,  he  said:  "Was 
there  any  real  offence,  it  is  not  for  a  follower  or  a 
minister  of  Christ  to  resent  it.  Our  blessed  Re- 
deemer was  meek  under  the  most  provoking  indig- 
nities, meek  under  the  vilest  calumnies  and  inces- 
sant contradiction  of  sinners,  and  made  the  kindest 
excuse  for  his  disciples,  though  they  neglected 
him  in  his  bitter  agony ;  meek  he  was,  though 
mocked  by  Herod,  and  insulted  by  his  scornful 
soldiers;  meek,  though  they  buffeted  his  sacred 
head,  and  spared  not  to  spit  in  his  amiable  face : 


HEV.   JAMES  HERVEV. 


137 


when  condemned  to  death,  he  was  led  as  a  lamb  to 
the  slaughter;  though  nailed  to  the  cross,  though 
rent  with  wounds  and  racked  with  pain,  he  never 
complained  of  the  barbarous  usage;  thougii  they 
hung  iiini  on  an  infamous  tree,  amidst  the  most 
scandalous  malefactors,  and  exposed  him  to  the 
abhorrence  of  thousands  of  spectators,  he  possessed 
his  soul  in  patience  and  resignation;  though  they 
reviled  him  in  the  extremity  of  his  sorrows,  and 
made  wanton  sport  even  with  his  dying  pangs,  yet 
he  bore  all,  he  forgave  all,  yea,  he  prayed  for  ids 
inhuman  murderers:  'Father,  forgive  them,' was 
his  merciful  supplication ;  'for  they  know  not  what 
they  do' — his  gracious  apology!  Who  can  medi- 
tate on  this  miracle  of  forgiving  goodness,  and  fo- 
ment indignation,  or  harbour  resentment?  May 
those  wonderful  words  ever  be  sounding  in  our 
ears,  and  that  lovely  pattern  ever  shining  before  our 
eyes!  May  that  most  compassionate  voice  of  our 
dear  Lord  have  the  same  eflect  upon  our  ruffled 
spirits,  as  his  commanding  voice  had  upon  the  tem- 
pestuous sea.  It  is  written  in  the  prophet,  '  The 
wolf  shall  dwell  with  the  lamb;'  the  nations  of  the 
world  shall  learn  war  no  more,  angry  passions 
shall  be  soothed  into  gentleness  and  love.  Surely, 
whenever  this  desirable  change  takes  place,  the 
example  of  our  blessed  Master,  set  home  by  the 
Diviive  Spirit,  will  be  the  instrument  of  producing 
the  happy  revolution." 

To  his  relations  this  good  man  showed  all  duti- 
ful attention,  particularly  as  to  their  best  and  eternal 
interests.  To  one  of  his  brothers  he  wrote  a  long 
and  excellent  letter,  on  his  conduct  during  his  ap- 
prenticeship. He  was  particularly  anxious  he 
should  be  connected  with  a  religious  master,  and 
12 


138 


LIFE  OP 


therefore  said  :  "  Desire  your  honoured  mother  and 
mine  to  have  a  jtreat  regard  to  your  soul,  and  the 
things  that  malve  for  its  welfare,  in'putting  you  out. 
Let  it  be  inquired,  not  only  whether  such  a  trades- 
man be  a  man  of  substance  and  credit,  but  whether 
he  be  also  a  man  of  religion  and  godliness?  whether 
he  be  a  lover  of  good  people?  a  careful  frequenter 
of  tlie  church  I  whether  ins  children  be  well  nur- 
tured and  educated  in  the  fear  of  tlie  Lord?  whether 
family  prayer  be  daily  offered  up  in  his  house? 
whether  he  believes  that  the  souls  of  his  servants 
are  committed  to  his  trust,  and  that  he  will  be  an- 
swerable for  the  neglect  of  them  at  the  judgment- 
seat?  It  will  be  sadly  hazardous  to  venture  your- 
self under  the  roof  of  any  person  who  is  not  fur- 
nished with  these  principles,  or  is  a  stranger  to 
these  practices." 

"April  1741."  Mr.  Hervey  writes:  "  My  poor 
father  lies  languishing  in  a  most  deplorable  and 
distressed  condition.  His  case  is  uncommon:  his 
pains  are  racking  and  extremely  acute.  Physicians 
have  done  their  utmost,  and  can  contribute  no  re- 
lief. Art  stanils  baffled,  medicines  confess  their 
impotence,  and  the  disorder,  sharp  and  inveterate, 
triumphs  over  all  human  applications.  This  may 
ere  long  be  our  case.  O  that  we  may  be  so  wise 
as  to  make  preparation  for  the  worst!  If  we  re- 
member our  Creator  in  the  days  of  our  health,  he 
will  not  forget  us  when  trouble  and  anguish  take 
hold  of  us.  Forget  us  !  No,  but  will  make  all 
our  bed  in  our  sickness;  will  soften  our  agonizing 
pillow;  will  wipe  off  the  dying  sweat;  will  speak 
peace  to  our  soul,  when  horrible  dread  overwhelms 
it;  and  will  provide  us  an  eternal  building,  when 
this  earthly  tabernacle  totters,  and  sinks,  and  tum- 
bles into  dust.    That  the  God  of  all  consolation 


REV.    JAMES    n  E  R  V  E  Y, 


139 


may  do  all  this  for  my  poor  father  now,  and  for 
you  in  the  time  of  need,  is  the  earnest  praver  of 

J.  H." 

To  his  mother  he  writes:  "  You  need  not  doubt 
of  being  remembered  in  my  supplications  to  the 
throne  of  grace.  0  that  they  were  better !  O  that 
they  proceeded  from  firmer  faith,  and  were  accom- 
panied with  greater  fervour !  Poor  and  weak  as 
they  are,  they  are  often  put  up  in  behalf  of  my  ho- 
noured parents,  tliat  the  God  and  Father  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  may  strengthen  them  with  all  might, 
according  to  his  glorious  power,  unto  all  patience 
and  long-suffering  with  joyfulness ;  may  give  them 
a  humble  resignation  to  his  blessed  will,  enable 
them  to  rejoice  even  in  their  tribulations,  and  make 
all  things  to  work  together  for  their  good,  their  ex- 
ceeding great  and  everlasting  good." — "  I  am  glad 
to  hear  my  sister  holds  well.  God  always  mingles 
our  cup  of  affliction  with  some  sweetening  drops; 
none  but  Christ,  that  dear  and  adorable  Redeemer, 
none  but  Christ,  had  gall  without  any  honey,  and 
vengeance  without  any  mercy.  Blessed  be  his 
holy  name,  for  enduring  all  kinds  of  misery,  that 
we  might  want  no  manner  of  thing  that  is  good," 
—"I  hope  this  will  find  my  father  better.  I  heartily 
wish,  and  daily  pray,  that  the  God  of  everlasting 
compassions  may  comfort  him  under  his  sorrows 
may  sanctify  his  afflictions,  and  restore  him  to  his 
health,  that  he  may  recover  more  spiritual  strength 
before  he  goes  hence,  and  is  no  more  seen.  I  sent 
my  brother  some  books,  and  humbly  beseech  tlie 
Giver  of  every  good  gift  to  accompany  them  with 
his  heavenly  blessing,  for  what  He  blesses  will  be 
blessed  indeed." 

Mr.  Hervey  was  particularly  happy  in  observing 
the  serious  turn  of  mind  evinced  by  his  sister,  who 


140 


LIFE  OF 


lived  with  him.  On  this  he  writes  to  an  intimate 
friend;  "  My  sister  has  of  late  grown  considerably 
in  grace.  She  delights  in  the  word  of  God,  loves 
the  people  of  God,  and  is  never  better  pleased 
than  when  she  is  talking  of  God,  and  Jesus 
Christ  whom  he  hath  sent."  Of  his  brother  in 
London,  he  says  to  the  same  friend,  "  I  am  glad 
my  brother  has  so  good  a  taste,  and  knows  what  is 
the  best  feast;  may  he  evermore  delight  in  such 
entertainment,  where  Christ  and  his  glories,  Christ 
and  his  merits,  Christ  and  his  grace,  are  the  sub- 
ject of  the  discourse,  and  chief  of  the  treat."* 
As  to  his  servants,  his  commands  to  them  were 
easy.  He  scarcely  ever  saw  them,  without  con- 
versing with  them  about  Christ:  their  spiritual  in- 
terests lay  near  his  heart.  One  of  the  last  he  had, 
who  was  alive  in  1812,  observes,  "  I  never  saw 
him,  witiiout  receiving  some  kind  advice.  He  gave 
me  my  Bible,  and  recommended  me  to  read  it:  he 
also  exhorted  me  to  pray." 

While  in  this  valley  of  tears,  Mr.  Hervey  met 
with  reproach,  disappointments,  and  various  trials 
and  temptations. 

Among  his  other  trials,  the  carelessness  of  some 
of  his  near  relations  about  the  one  thing  needful, 
gave  him  much  uneasiness.  They  did  not  at  all 
relish  the  doctrines  he  so  cordially  believed  and 
diligently  taught.  They  were  indifferent,  if  not 
hostile,  to  his  fervent  piety;  it  was  with  reluctance 
they  attended  his  family  devotions,  and  even  occa- 
sionally turned  them  into  ridicule.  He  had,  how- 
ever, the  happiness  to  see  a  work  of  grace  begun 
in  several  of  them  before  he  died. 

*  Tills  worthy  gentleman  lived  several  years  after  Mr. 
Hervey,  and  sustained  a  most  respectable  character  among 
the  friends  of  religion. 


REV.   JAMES  HERVEY. 


141 


The  weight  of  his  ministerial  work  h\y  heavy 
on  him,  he  being  afiaid  lest  he  shoiiUl  be  uiiraitli- 
ful.  Under  great  distress  of  conscience,  and  ha- 
rassed by  violent  temptations,  he  made  his  case 
known  to  an  experienced  friend,  who  said,  "  You 
do  not  pray."  Surprised  at  this,  he  replied,  "I 
pray,  if  such  a  thing  be  possible,  too  much;  I  can 
hardly  tell  how  many  times  in  the  day.  I  bow  my 
knee  before  God,  almost  to  the  omission  of  my 
other  duties,  and  the  neglect  of  my  necessary  stu- 
dies." "  You  mistake  my  meaning,"  said  his 
friend,  "  I  do  not  refer  you  to  the  ceremony  of  the 
knee,  but  to  the  devotion  of  the  heart,  which  ne- 
glects not  any  business,  but  intermingles  prayer 
with  ail ;  which  in  every  place  looks  to  the  Lord, 
and  on  every  occasion  lift;3  up  an  indigent  longing 
soul  for  the  supply  of  his  grace.  This,"  added 
he,  and  spoke  with  great  vehemence,  "  this  is  the 
prayer  which  all  tlie  devils  in  hell  cannot  with- 
stand." Mr.  Hervey  profited  by  this  advice.  To 
an  intimate  correspondent  he  writes:  "  Methinks 
I  could  almost  wish,  that  whatever  bufTetings  of 
Satan  I  feel,  you  might  be  exposed  to  none  of  his 
fiery  darts."  He  then  expresses  the  advantages 
he  reaped  from  them:  "  But  it  cannot,  it  must  not 
be  so ;  without  them,  diligence  would  fold  her 
arms,  circumspection  would  close  her  eyes,  and  all 
our  Christian  graces  lose  their  activity  and  vigour. 
To  be  immured  always  in  a  warm  room,  where  no 
single  breath  of  air  could  reach  us,  would  not  be 
conducive  to  the  health  of  our  bodies;  to  be  free 
from  trials,  and  exempt  from  temptations,  would 
be  as  little  beneficial  to  the  state  of  the  soul.  At 
such  seasons,  and  by  such  discipline,  we  are  taught 
to  know  ourselves.  Where,  at  such  an  hour  of  in- 
firmity and  prevailing  corruption,  where  is  our 


142 


LIFE  OF 


fancied  righteousness?  what  figure  does  our  own 
obedience  make?  Alas!  it  appears  most  wortii- 
less,  and  most  despicably  mean.  Then,  how  com- 
fortable to  reflect,  that  miserably  defective  in  our- 
selves, we  are  complete  in  our  divine  Redeemer! 
When  we  see  our  own  righteousness  to  be  poor  in- 
terrupted scraps  of  duty ;  to  be,  as  the  prophet 
speaks,  no  better  than  filthy  rags;  then  how  pre- 
cious is  Jesus  Christ,  in  the  character  of  the  Lord 
our  Righteousness  !  then  how  reviving  is  such  a 
text  of  Scripture,  '  God  halh  made  liim  to  be  sin 
for  us,  that  we  might  be  made  the  righteousness 
of  God  in  him  !'  " 

He  used  to  remember  the  saying  of  an  aged 
Christian:  "  Those  temptations,  which  drive  us  to 
prayer,  and  make  us  more  attentive  to  the  Scrip- 
lures,  cannot  ruin  us,  will  never  hurt  us,  nay,  will 
turn  in  the  issue  to  our  great  advantage." — "A 
holy  joy  in  the  merits  of  our  ever-blessed  Redeem- 
er, a  calm  resignation  to  the  all-wise  will  of  God, 
and  a  well-grounded  hope  of  unutterable  and  im- 
mortal bliss  in  a  better  world — these,  these  are 
more  absolutely  needful  for  a  case  like  this  (his 
friend  being  in  affliction,)  and  will  do  more  toward 
relief,  than  all  the  drugs  whicli  nature  can  produce ; 
and  very  sure  I  am,  these  noble  anodynes  are  dis- 
pensed no  where  but  in  the  Scriptures,  are  to  be 
procured  no  otherwise  than  by  prayer:  other  me- 
thods may  stupify,  but  will  not  remove  the  pain, 
much  less  introduce  permanent  ease.  I  speak  not 
this  from  mere  speculation,  or  conjectural  proba- 
bility; I  have  myself  experienced  the  efficacy  of 
these  expedients,  for  these  desirable  purposes;  hav- 
ing been  a  sort  of  veteran  in  affliction,  1  have  been 
under  the  necessity  of  applying  these  consolations, 
and  have  the  utmost  reason  to  bear  witness  that  there 
is  nothing  like  them." 


EEV.    JAMES  HERVEY. 


143 


To  his  good  friend,  the  Rev.  Moses  Brown,  he, 
under  his  wealiness,  writes:  "  If  I  have  not  been 
punctual  ill  answering  your  letter,  ascribe  it  to  the 
usual,  whicii  is  indeed  tiie  true  cause ;  I  mean  a 
failure  of  strength  and  languor  of  spirits,  which 
both  disincline  and  disqualify  me  for  every  thing. 
The  winter  has  made  me  a  prisoner :  I  have  not 
been  any  farther  than  the  church  these  two  months. 

May  you,  and  all  the  ministers  of  the  blessed 
Jesus,  be  anointed  with  the  Holy  Ghost  and  with 
power.  May  you,  in  imitation  of  our  divine  Mas- 
ter, go  about  doing  much  spiritual  good,  and  slied- 
ding  abroad  the  savour  of  his  most  precious  name. 
O  that  I  iiad  strength !  I  would  then  pray  earnestly 
that  I  might  go  and  do  likewise." — "  I  write  as  a 
poor  prisoner,  who  lately  expected  to  have  the  sen- 
tence of  death  executed.  May  I  never  forget  how 
much  I  shall  want  an  assured  faith  in  the  all-glori- 
ous Redeemer  when  the  awful  change  approaches. 
The  faithfulness,  the  goodness,  the  unsearchable 
riches  of  Christ,  apprehended  by  a  sweedy  assured, 
soul-reviving  faith — these  are  our  sovereign  support 
under  all  troubles,  and  our  most  efl'ectual  preserve 
ative  from  all  temptations:  we  believe,  blessed 
Jesus',  help  our  unbelief." — "  You  may  have  heard 
of  my  late  dangerous  sickness.  Indeed,  I  was 
sick  nigh  unto  death.  Little  did  I  think  of  writing 
to  my  friends,  or  of  being  written  to  any  more  in 
the  land  of  the  living.  O  that  I  may  devote  the  life 
that  has  been  prolonged,  devote  it  wholly  to  the 
CJod  of  my  health  and  my  salvation." — "  If  my 
health  be  inquired  after,  it  is  irreparably  decayed, 
my  constitution  is  more  and  more  enervated ;  in- 
deed, I  am  become  like  a  broken  vessel ;  my  spirits 
are  at  so  low  an  ebb,  and  animal  nature  so  relaxed, 
as  sorely  to  tempt  me  to  envy  others,  and  to  be  dis- 


144 


LIFE  OF 


contented  with  the  Divine  disposals.  Will  you 
somelimes  beseech  the  Father  of  everlasting  com- 
passions to  remove  from  me  these  afflictive  evils, 
and  not  to  forsake  a  poor  sinner  when  his  strength 
faileth  ;  but  though  niy  flesh  and  my  heart  fail,  my 
flesh  under  incurable  languors,  and  my  heart  through 
manifold  corruptions;  yet  that  the  blessed  Jesus 
may  be  the  strength  of  my  heart,  and  my  portion 
for  ever." 

At  another  time  he  writes  :  "  I  had  a  very  rest- 
less night,  torn  almost  to  pieces  by  my  cough. 
Strange!  that  these  flimsy  vessels  will  bear  such 
violent  strainings,  that  none  of  them  will  burst, 
and  let  the  battered  soul  slip  away  to  her  eternal 
rest  in  Christ." — "  I  am  this  day  a  prisoner  in  my 
chamber,  and  write  in  much  pain.  Blessed  be  God 
for  that  world  where  all  tears  will  be  wiped  away 
from  our  eyes,  and  there  will  be  no  more  pain!  and 
blessed  be  God  for  a  Saviour,  who  is  the  way  to 
these  happy  mansions,  and  the  door  of  admission 
into  them.  O  that  every  thing  may  lead  my  dear 
friend  and  me  more  and  more  to  Christ  Jesus !  in 
him  alone  peace,  and  rest,  and  true  joy,  are  to  be 
found." — "  I  Avish  I  could  gratify  your  benevolent 
temper  in  giving  a  comfortable  account  of  my 
health;  but  nothing  administered  for  its  succour 
and  restoration  succeeds.  I  hope  to  meet  you  ere 
long  amidst  the  innumerable  company  of  angels,  no 
more  to  complain,  '  My  head,  my  head !'  no  more 
say,  '  I  am  sick." — "  The  grasshopper  is  a  burden 
to  me,  every  blast  blows  me  down,  or  my  contin- 
ual indisposition  and  inconceivable  languors  pierce 
through  me.  1  now  hang  a  swelled  face  over  niy 
paper,  occasioned  only  by  taking  the  air  yesterday 
in  my  chair,  and  finding  a  sharper  atmosphere  than 
for  many  weeks  I  had  been  accustomed  to.  Pray 


HEV.   JAMES  HEUVEY. 


145 


for  me,  dear  Sir,  that,  established  in  Christ,  and 
strong  in  his  foith,  I  may  be  looking  for  and  hast- 
ing unto,  the  day  of  God,  when  this  poor  enervated, 
crazy  body  will  (to  the  everlasting  praise  of  free 
grace,)  be  made  like  unto  Christ's  glorious  body." 

During  his  illness  he  wrote — "  I  have  little  abil- 
ity to  read:  my  chief  reading  all  the  preceding  win- 
ter, (June,  1757,)  has  been  confined  lo  some  choice 
portions  of  Scripture;  and  as  to  writing,  invention 
stagnates,  and  my  hand  is  enervated.  I  fear  I  shall 
not  be  enabled  to  conduct  Theron  in  the  paths  of 
holiness,  and  transmit  Aspasio  to  the  realms  of 
glory."  *  During  this  weakness  for  public  service, 
he  was  encouraged  by  his  good  friend  Mr.  White- 
field,  who  said,  "  Fear  not  your  weak  body  ;  we 
are  immortal  till  our  work  be  done.  My  continual 
vomitings  almost  kill  me,  and  yet  the  pulpit  is  my 
cure.    1  speak  this  to  encourage  you." 

He  enlarges  in  narrating  his  experience  under 
some  seasons  of  bodily  weakness  and  distress.  The 
first  was  in  1747,  when  he  was  visited  with  such 
a  severe  illness,  as  to  apprehend  nothing  but  death 
was  before  him.  On  this  occasion  he  writes:  "  My 
health  is  continually  upon  the  decline,  and  the 
springs  of  life  are  all  relaxing;  medicine  is  baffled. 
Dr.  Stonehouse,  who  is  a  dear  friend  to  his  patient, 
and  a  lover  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  pities,  but  cannot 
succour.  With  this  blessing,  however,  together 
with  a  multitude  of  others,  the  Divine  goodness 
vouchsafes  to  gild  the  gloom  of  decaying  nature, 
so  that  1  am  racked  with  no  pain,  and  enjoy  the 
free  undisturbed  use  of  my  reason.  Now  I  appre- 
hend myself  near  tlie  close  of  life,  and  stand,  as  it 
were,  upon  the  brink  of  the  grave,  with  eternity 

*  Referring  to  his  design  of  writing  another  volume  on 
Gospel  Holiness. 

13 


146 


LIFE  OF 


full  in  my  view.  Perhaps  you  will  be  willing  to 
know  my  sentiments  of  tilings,  in  this  awful  situa- 
tion ;  at  such  a  juncture,  the  mind  is  most  unpre- 
judiced, and  the  judgment  not  so  liable  lo  be  daz- 
zled by  the  glitter  of  worldly  objects.  I  have  read 
of  a  person,  who  was  ofien  retired  and  on  his  knees, 
and  was  remarkable  for  his  frequency  and  fervency 
in  devotion ;  being  asked  the  reason  of  this  so  sin- 
gular behaviour,  he  replied,  '  Because  I  know  I 
must  die.'  I  assure  you  I  feel  the  weight  of  this 
answer,  I  see  the  wisdom  of  this  procedure,  and, 
was  my  span  lo  be  lengthened,  would  endeavour 
always  to  remember  the  one,  and  daily  to  imitate 
the  other.  I  think  also,  we  fail  in  our  duty,  and 
thwart  our  comfort,  by  studying  God's  holy  word 
no  more.  Was  I  to  renew  my  studies,  I  would  re- 
sign the  delights  of  modern  wit  and  eloquence,  and 
devote  my  attention  to  the  Scriptures  of  truth ;  I 
would  sit  with  much  assiduity  at  my  divine  Mas- 
ter's feet,  and  desire  to  know  nothing  but  Christ, 
and  him  crucified.  This  is  wisdom,  whose  fruits 
are  peace  in  life,  consolation  in  death,  and  everlast- 
ing salvation  after  death.  This  I  would  seek,  this 
I  would  explore,  through  the  spacious  and  delight- 
ful fields  of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments.  In 
short,  I  would  adopt  the  resolution  of  tiie  apostles, 
give  myself  unto  prayer,  and  to  the  word.  With 
regard  lo  my  public  ministry,  my  chief  aim  should 
be  to  beget  in  my  people's  minds  a  deep  sense  of 
their  depraved,  guilty,  undone  condition,  and  a 
clear,  believing  conviction  of  the  all-sufficiency  of 
Christ,  by  his  blood,  his  righteousness,  his  inter- 
cession, and  his  Spirit,  to  save  them  to  the  utter- 
most. I  would  always  take  care  to  labour  for  them 
in  my  closet  as  well  as  in  the  pulpit,  and  wrestle 
in  secret  supplications,  as  well  as  exert  myself  in 


REV.    JAMES    II  E  R  V  E  Y. 


147 


public  preaching;,  for  their  spiritual  and  eternal  wel- 
iare ;  for  unless  God  take  this  work  into  his  own 
hand,  what  mortal  is  sufficient  for  it?  Now,  per- 
haps, if  you  sat  at  my  right  hand,  you  would  ask, 
What  is  my  hope  with' regard  to  my  future  and 
immortal  state?  Truly,  my  hope,  my  whole  hope, 
is  even  in  the  Lord  Redeemer.  Should  the  king 
of  terrors  threaten,  I  flee  to  the  wounds  of  the 
slaughtered  Lamb,  as  the  trembling  dove  to  the 
clifis  of  the  rock.  Should  Satan  accuse,  I  plead 
the  Surety  of  the  covenant,  who  took  my  guilt  up- 
on himself,  and  bare  my  sins  in  his  own  body  on 
the  accursed  tree,  on  purpose  that  all  the  nations  of 
the  earth  might  be  blessed.  Should  hell  open  its 
jaws,  I  look  up  to  that  gracious  Being,  who  says, 
'  Deliver  him  from  going  down  to  the  pit,  for  I 
have  found  a  ransom.'  Should  it  be  said.  No  un- 
clean thing  can  enter  heaven,  my  answer  is,  '  The 
blood  of  Jesus  Christ,  his  Son,  cleanseth  us  from 
all  sin.  Though  my  sins  be  as  scarlet,  they  shall 
be  white  as  snow.'  Should  it  be  added.  None  can 
sit  down  at  the  marriage-supper  of  the  Lamb  with- 
out a  wedding  garment;  and  your  righteousnesses, 
what  are  they  before  the  pure  law  and  piercing  eye 
of  God,  but  filthy  rags?  These  1  renounce,  and 
seek  to  be  found  in  the  Lord  my  righteousness.  It 
is  written  in  the  word  that  shall  judge  the  world  at 
the  last  day,  '  By  his  obedience  shall  many  be  made 
righteous;'  so  that  Jesus,  the  dear  and  adorable  Je- 
sus, is  all  my  trust;  his  merits  are  my  staff,  when  I 
pass  through  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death; 
his  merits  are  my  anchor,  when  I  launch  into  the 
boundless  ocean  of  eternity.  If  the  God  of  glory 
pleases  to  take  notice  of  any  of  my  mean  endeav- 
ours to  honour  his  holy  name,  it  will  he  infinite 
condescension  and  grace;  but  his  Son,  his  righte- 


148 


LIFE  OF 


ousness  and  his  sufferings,  is  all  my  hope  and  sal- 
vation." 

In  January,  1758,  he  writes:  "  My  late  illness 
has  brought  ine  so  very  low,  and  rendered  me  so 
extremely  weak,  that  my  hand  is  scarcely  able  to 
execute  the  dictates  of  my  lieart,  I  do  not  go  out 
of  my  room  till  dinner  time,  and  then  it  is  rather 
to  see  my  relations  eat,  than  to  take  refreshment 
myself.  Amidst  all  the  languors  of  decaying  na- 
ture, this  is  the  most  sovereign  support — I'ree  jus- 
tification through  Jesus  Christ;  a  comfortable  per- 
suasion that  he  has  removed  our  sins  from  us,  as 
far  as  the  east  is  from  the  west;  that  he  has  cast 
them  all  into  the  depths  of  the  sea,  and  will  present 
us  to  himself,  not  having  spot  or  wrinkle,  or  any 
such  thing." 

A  few  months  before  he  died,  he  writes  a  friend : 
"  Your  prayers  are  blessings  I  greatly  need  and 
gready  beg.  Blessed  be  God  for  inclining  the 
hearts  of  so  many  believers  to  remember  my  un- 
worthy name  at  the  throne  of  grace.  1  hope  you 
will  go  on  to  implore  the  God  and  Father  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  my  behalf,  as  the  time  of  de- 
parture approaches.  I  am  just  languishing.  My 
excellent  friend,  a  skilful  physician,  and  a  sincere 
lover  of  Christ,  has  passed  sentence  of  death  on  me. 
He  declares  that  all  the  medicines  in  the  world 
cannot  restore  my  decayed  constitution.  I  now 
look  for  no  other  remedy  than  the  blood  of  Christ 
and  the  Spirit  of  God.  I  would  long  for  no  other 
blessing,  but  a  thankful  resignation  to  his  all-gra- 
cious will,  and  cheerful  faith  in  our  Saviour's 
merit." 


REV.    JAMES    H  E  R  V  E  Y, 


149 


HIS  LAST  SICKNESS  AND  DYING  SAYINGS. 

As  Mr.  Hervey's  weakness  increased,  he  evinced 
the  same  liappy  and  devotional  spirit.  He  seems 
to  have  been  blessed,  after  he  knew  the  grace  of 
God,  with  a  solid  sensible  assurance  of  his  interest 
in  Jesus ;  and  when  the  days  drew  near  that  he 
must  die,  he,  to  use  his  own  words  in  tlie  case  of 
others,*  "  displayed  true  fortitude,  rational  tran- 
quillity and  well  grounded  hope,  built  upon  the 
divine  promises,  supported  by  the  divine  Spirit, 
rendered  steadfast  and  immovable  by  a  divine  pro- 
pitiation and  righteousness.  He  found  that  the 
comforts  of  religion  softened  the  bed  of  sickness, 
and  soothed  the  agonies  of  dissolution.  Though 
sensible  he  was  bidding  a  final  adieu  to  time,  and 
just  launching  out  into  the  abyss  of  eternity,  his 
God  sustained  him  in  the  greatest  extremity:  he 
overcame  the  last  enemy  by  the  blood  of  the  Lamb. 
His  discourses  savoured  of  heaven,  and  his  hopes 
were  full  of  immortality."  It  is  to  be  hoped,  on 
this  occasion,  that  no  one  who  has  the  least  serious- 
ness, or  feels  any  concern  for  his  true  happiness, 
can  forbear  crying  out,  "  Let  me  die  the  death  of 
the  righteous,  and  let  my  last  end  be  like  his." 

In  his  death,  and  to  his  last  moments,  he  parti- 
cularly bore  witness  of  a  hope  and  confidence  of 
eternal  life,  built  on  the  manifestation  of  the  love 
of  God,  in  giving  his  Son  for  and  to  the  most  guilty 
sinner.  This  he  had  abundantly  testified  in  his 
valuable  writings,  in  his  daily  conversation,  in  his 
disinterested  fellowship,  and  sincere  friendship  for 
the  truth's  sake;  and  in  the  last  and  trying  season, 
he  afibrded  an  eminent  instance  of  the  support 

•  Preface  to  Burnham's  Pious  Memorials. 


150 


LIFE  OF 


which  ihese  dontrines,  for  which  he  so  earnestly 
conlendeil,  could  liieii  impart.  He  was  then  con- 
soled, not  by  reflections  on  his  own  qualifications 
and  commendable  actions,  which  indeed  were  many 
and  eminent,  but  entirely  by  faith  in  Jehovah  his 
righteousness,  and  salvation  granted  to  him  in  the 
word  of  grace.  He  saw  nothing  in  himself  to  re- 
commend him  to  his  gracious  Redeemer,  whether 
duties,  endeavours,  or  attainments.  On  the  con- 
trary, his  soul  would  have  been  overwhelmed 
within  him,  if  he  had  not  had  a  free  Saviour,  and 
free  salvation  to  lay  hold  upon,  as  the  gift  of  God 
to  him  as  a  sinful  creature.  The  powerlul,  lively, 
effectual  applicaiion  of  divine  grace  to  his  soul,  by 
the  declarations  of  the  gospel,  were  the  ground  of 
his  comfort  and  hope.  His  death-bed  peace  was 
not  that  of  a  righteous  or  innocent  man,  but  of  a 
redeemed  sinner;  of  one  who  saw  himself  to  be 
guilty,  condemned,  and  vile  beyond  all  expression, 
but  believed  himself  complete  in  Christ. 

His  dying  exercise  at  different  times,  we  find 
expressed  in  the  following  words: — *'  Believe  me, 
your  letters  are  far  from  fatiguing  me,  even  in  my 
greatest  Aveakness;  they  tell  me  of  Jesus  who  was 
crucified,  the  only  cordial  for  my  drooping  soul." 
To  his  physician  he  writes:  "I  have  just  been 
reading  Gerhard's  'Support  under  all  AtHictions;' 
and  a  most  excellent  book  it  is.  If  your  medicines 
have  not  the  desired  effect,  I  must  seek  relief  from 
him.  From  him,  do  I  say?  from  a  fellow  mortal? 
O,  what  are  all  the  consolations  that  all  the  crea- 
tures in  the  universe  can  afford,  in  comparison  of 
that  grand  consolation  of  our  condescending  Lord's, 
'Ye  are  my  friends,'  John  xv.  14.  '  Come  and 
inherit  the  kingdom  prepared  for  you,'  Matt.  xxv. 
34 ;  '  where  the  inhabitant  shall  not  say,  I  am 


REV.    JAMES  HERVEY. 


151 


sick,"  Isa.  xxxiii.  24;  'and  where  there  shall  be 
no  more  sorrow  nor  death,  neither  any  more  pain,' 
Rev.  xxi.  4." — "  I  now  spend  almost  my  whole 
time  in  reading  and  praying  over  the  Bible.  In- 
deed, indeed,  you  cannot  conceive  how  the  springs 
of  life  in  me  are  relaxed  and  relaxing.  '  What 
thou  dost,  do  quickly,'  is  for  me  a  proper  admoni- 
tion, as  I  am  so  apprehensive  of  my  approaching 
dissolution.  My  dear  friend,  attend  to  the  one 
thing  needful." — "  I  have  no  heart  to  take  any 
medicines ;  all  but  Christ  is  to  me  unprofitable : 
blessed  be  God  for  pardon  and  salvation  through 
his  blood.  Let  me  prescribe  this  for  my  dear 
friend."* — "  My  cough  is  very  troublesome,  I  can 
get  little  rest;  but  my  never  failing  remedy  is  the 
love  of  Christ."t    He  then  adds: 

"  The  gospel  bears  my  spirits  up: 
A  faithful  and  unchanging  God 
Lays  the  foundation  of  my  hope, 
In  oaths,  in  promises,  in  blood." — Watts. 

As  he  had  often  conversed  with  his  friends 
through  life  on  the  love  of  Christ,  it  still  continued 
his  favourite  theme.  Whenever  a  friend  of  Mr. 
Romaine's,  who  was  much  with  him,  came  into 
his  room,  he  would  begin  to  talk  of  the  love  of 
Christ  and  of  the  great  things  he  had  done  for  him, 
until  his  breath  failed  him.  As  soon  as  he  had 
recovered  himself  a  little,  he  would  proceed  upon 
the  same  sweet  subject;  so  that  he  might  have 
truly  applied  to  himself  the  words  of  the  prophet, 
"  My  mouth  shall  be  telling  of  thy  righteousness 
and  of  thy  salvation  all  the  day  long,  for  I  know 
no  end  thereof." 

The  following  passage  on  this  subject  was  one 

*  Gen.  Col.  Let.  ]95.  t  Ibid.  209. 


152 


LIFE  OF 


of  his  favourite  Scriptures,  Rev.  vii.  14,  15: 
"  These  are  they  who  came  out  of  great  tribula- 
tion, and  have  washed  their  robes  and  made  them 
white  in  the  blood  of  the  I/amb:  tlierefore  are  they 
before  the  throne  of  God,  and  serve  him  day  and 
night  in  his  temple."  From  this,  he  says  he 
hoped  to  derive  consolation  in  his  dying  hours, 
and  his  expectation  was  not  disappointed. 

The  atonement  of  Jesus  was  his  darling  theme 
after  he  knew  the  grace  of  God  in  truth ;  and  in 
the  appropriating  views  of  this  he  solaced  himself 
in  his  dying  hours.  By  this  medium,  death  and 
the  grave  to  him,  as  a  redeemed  sinner,  were  di- 
vested of  all  their  gloom;  a  future  judgment  ap- 
peared to  be  a  joyful  solemnity;  eternity  a  delight- 
ful boundless  object  of  pleasing  expectation  and 
desire. 

He  employed  himself  much  in  prayer  for  himself 
and  his  friends:  as  to  these  he  says,  "This,  pro- 
bably, is  the  last  time  you  will  ever  hear  from  me; 
but  I  shall  not  fail  to  remember  you  in  my  inter- 
cessions for  my  friends  at  the  throne  of  grace;  and 
I  humbly  beg  of  God  Almighty,  that  the  love  of 
his  Son  may  sweetly  constrain  you,  and  that  his 
promises  may  ever  be  operative  on  your  mind." 
To  use  his  own  words  in  the  case  of  others,  ad- 
hering to  and  glorying  in  the  cross  of  Christ,  he 
entered  the  harbour  of  eternal  rest,  not  like  a  ship- 
wrecked mariner,  cleaving  to  some  broken  plank, 
and  hardly  escaping  the  raging  waves,  but  like 
some  stately  vessel,  with  all  her  sails  expanded, 
and  riding  before  a  prosperous  gale. 

His  last  illness  was  long.  It  greatly  increased, 
in  October,  1758,  and  grew  very  formidable  in 
December  following;  for  on  the  Lord's  day,  the 
third  of  that  month,  in  the  evening,  after  prayer  in 


R  K  V.   JAMES   H  K  R  V  E  Y. 


153 


his  family,  he  seemed  to  be  arrested  by  death,  so 
that  the  united  assistance  of  his  sister  and  servant 
enabled  him  wilb  difficulty  to  get  up  stairs  to  his 
room,  whence  he  never  came  down.  His  illness 
gaining  ground  every  day,  he  became  sensible  of 
liis  approaching  dissolution.  He  had  frequent  and 
violent  returns  of  the  cramp,  which  gave  him  most 
acute  pain.  A  hectic  cough  likewise  afflicted  iiim 
so  grievously  in  the  night,  that  he  could  not  lie  in 
bed  till  four  in  the  morning,  and  was  often  obliged 
to  rise  at  two,  especially  as  opium,  how  much  so- 
ever guarded  by  other  medicines,  would  not  agree 
with  him.  On  the  15th  of  that  month,  he  com- 
plained much  of  a  pain  in  his  side.  The  Rev, 
Mr.  Maddock,  his  curate,  being  with  him  on  the 
afternoon  of  that  day,  Mr.  Hervey  spoke  to  him  in 
strong  and  pathetic  terms  of  his  assurance  of  faith, 
and  of  tlie  great  love  of  God  in  Christ.  He  de- 
clared that  the  fear  of  death  was  taken  from  him. 
"O!"  said  he,  "  what  has  Christ,  how  much  has 
Christ  done  for  me;  and  how  little  have  I  done  for 
so  loving  a  Saviour!  If  I  preached  even  once  a 
week,  it  was  at  last  a  burden  to  me.  I  have  not 
visited  the  people  of  my  parish  as  I  ought  to  have 
done,  and  thus  have  preached  from  house  to  house. 
I  have  not  taken  every  opportunity  of  speaking  for 
Christ."  These  expressions  were  accompanied 
with  tears,  which  were  too  visible  not  to  be  ob- 
served; and,  lest  his  tears  should  be  misinterpreted, 
as  they  had  been  conversing  about  his  expected 
end,  and  of  his  assurance  of  happiness,  he  pro- 
ceeded thus: — "Do  not  think  1  am  afraid  to  die; 
I  assure  you  I  am  not;  I  know  what  my  Saviour 
hath  done  for  me;  I  want  to  be  gone,  but  I  won- 
der and  lament  to  think  of  the  love  of  Christ  in 
doing  so  much  for  me,  and  how  little  I  have  done 


154 


LIFE  OF 


for  him."  la  another  conversation,  discoursing 
likewise  of  liis  approaching  dissohition,  which  he 
did  with  the  utmost  calmness  and  serenity,  and  of 
the  little  which  we  know  of  God's  word,  he  said, 
"  How  many  precious  texts  are  there,  big  with  the 
most  rich  liutlis  of  Christ,  which  we  cannot  com- 
prehend, which  we  know  nothing  of;  and  of  those 
we  do  know,  how  few  do  we  remember!  A  good 
textuary  is  a  good  divine ;  and  that  is  the  armour, 
the  word  of  God  is  the  sword.  Those  texts  I 
must  use  when  that  subtle  and  arch  adversary  of 
mankind  comes  to  sift  me  in  my  last  conflict. 
Surely  I  need  be  well  provided  with  these  wea- 
pons; I  had  need  have  my  quiver  full  of  them,  to 
answer  Satan  with  texts  out  of  the  word  of  God: 
thus  did  Christ  when  he  was  tempted  in  the  wil- 
derness." AVhat  Mr.  Hervey  expected  came  upon 
him  :  "  The  enemy  of  souls  saw  him  in  great  weak- 
ness of  body,  and  then  made  a  furious  onset  against 
his  faith;  but  the  Captain  of  salvation  was  with 
him,  and  would  not  give  him  over  into  the  enemy's 
hands:  his  faith  was  tried,  and  it  came  like  gold 
out  of  the  fire." 

On  the  ]9tli  of  December,  1758,  his  pains  aba- 
ted, and  he  grew  drowsy  and  lethargic.  The  next 
day  he  was  visited  by  Dr.  Stonehouse,  who  de- 
clared that,  in  his  opinion,  Mr.  Hervey  could  not 
live  above  three  or  four  days ;  upon  which  the 
Doctor  took  occasion  to  speak  of  the  many  conso- 
lations through  Christ  which  the  true  Christian 
enjoys  in  the  prospect  of  death,  of  the  emptiness 
of  worldly  honours  to  an  immortal  soul,  and  of  the 
unprofitableness  of  riches  to  the  irreligious  man. 
Mr.  Hervey  replied,  "True,  Doctor,  true;  the 
only  invaluable  riches  are  in  heaven.  What  would 
it  avail  me  now  to  be  Archbishop  of  Canterbury  ? 


REV,     JAMES  HERVEY. 


155 


disease  would  show  no  respect  to  my  mitre.  That 
prel;ite  not  only  is  very  great,  but,  I  am  told,  has 
religion  really  at  heart;  yet  it  is  godliness,  not 
grandeur,  that  will  avail  him  hereafter.  The  gos- 
pel is  offered  to  me,  a  poor  country  parson,  the 
same  as  to  his  Grace :  Christ  makes  no  dilTerence 
between  us!  Why,  then,  do  ministers  thus  neglect 
the  charge  of  so  kind  a  Saviour,  fawn  upon  the 
great,  and  hunt  after  worldly  preferments  with  so 
much  eagerness,  to  the  disgrace  of  our  order? 
These  are  the  things.  Doctor,  and  not  our  poverty 
or  obscurity,  which  render  the  clergy  so  justly  con- 
temptible in  the  eyes  of  worldlings.  No  wonder 
the  service  of  our  church  (grieved  am  I  to  say  it !) 
is  become  such  a  lifeless  tiling,  since  it  is,  alas !  too 
generally  executed  by  persons  dead  to  godliness  in 
all  their  conversation,  whose  inditrerence  to  reli- 
gion, and  worldly  minded  behaviour,  proclaims  the 
little  regard  they  pay  to  the  doctrines  of  our  Lord 
who  bought  them."  When  the  Doctor  was  going 
away,  Mr.  Hervey,  with  great  tenderness,  observ- 
ed to  him,  that  as  not  long  ago  he  had  a  dangerous 
fall  from  his  horse,  and  as  he  had  been  lately  ill, 
and  looked  very  pale,  he  hoped  he  would  think  on 
these  narrow  escapes,  so  often  fatal  to  others,  as  a 
kind  of  warning  from  God  to  him,  and  remember 
them  as  such;  adding,  "  How  careful  ought  Ave  to 
be  to  improve  those  years  which  remain,  at  a  time 
of  life  when  but  few  can  remain  for  us ! 

About  this  time,  his  kind  friend  Mr.  Whitefield 
sent  him  the  following  letter: — "And  is  my  dear 
friend  indeed  about  to  take  his  last  flight?  I  dare 
not  wish  your  return  into  this  vale  of  tears;  but 
our  prayers  are  continually  ascending  to  the  Father 
of  our  spirits,  that  you  may  die  in  the  embraces 


156 


LIFE  OF 


of  a  never  failing  Jesus,  and  in  all  the  triumphs 
of  an  exalted  faith.  Farewell,  my  dear  friend, 
f — a — r — e — well !  Yet  a  little  while,  and  we  shall 
meet, 

'  Where  sin,  and  strife,  and  sorrow  cease, 
And  all  is  love,  £ind  joy,  and  peace.' 

"  God  comfort  your  mother,  and  relations,  and 
thousands,  and  thousands  more,  who  must  bewail 
your  departure." 

Mr.  Hervey,  the  day  before  he  died,  went  a  few 
steps  across  the  room  ;  but  immediataly  finding  his 
strength  failing  him,  he  sunk,  rather  than  fell  down, 
his  fall  being  broken  by  his  sister,  who,  observing 
his  weakness,  ran  and  caught  him ;  but  he  fainted 
away,  and  was  in  appearance  dead,  it  being  a  con- 
siderable time  before  any  pulse  could  be  perceived, 
When  he  came  to  himself,  Mr.  William  Hervey 
said,  "We  were  afraid  you  were  gone;"  he  an- 
swered, "I  wish  I  had;"  and  well  he  might  wish 
so,  for  his  strength  was  quite  exhausted,  his  body 
extremely  emaciated,  and  his  bones  so  sore,  that 
he  could  not  bear  one  to  touch  him,  when  it  was 
necessary  to  move  him  about.  Yet,  under  all  his 
sufferings,  he  was  still  praising  God  for  all  his 
mercies  ;  insomuch  that  he  never  received  a  mor- 
sel of  lemon  to  moisten  his  mouth,  without  thank- 
ing God  for  his  bounty  and  goodness,  in  creating 
so  many  helps  and  refreshments  to  a  sick  and  de- 
caying body.  But  especially  did  he  praise  God  for 
endowing  him  with  patience,  in  which  he  possess- 
ed his  soul.  Indeed,  his  patience  was  eminent:  in 
his  long  illness  he  was  never  known  to  fret  or  be 
uneasy,  nor  did  those  about  him  observe  him  utter 
a  hasty  or  angry  word. 


REV.   JAMES  HERVEY. 


157 


On  the  25th  of  December,  on  which  he  died,  in 
the  morning,  his  brother  coming  into  his  room  to 
inquire  after  his  welfare,  he  said,  *'  I  have  been 
thiniving  of  my  great  ingratitude  to  my  God."  Mr. 
*  Maddock  also  paying  him  his  morning  visit,  Mr. 
Hervey  lifted  up  his  head,  and  opened  his  eyes,  as 
he  sat  in  his  easy-chair,  to  see  who  it  Avas,  and 
said,  "  Sir,  I  cannot  talk  with  you."  He  com- 
plained much  this  day  of  a  great  inward  conflict 
which  he  had,  laying  his  hand  on  his  breast,  and 
saying,  "Ah  !  you  know  not  how  great  a  conflict 
I  have."  During  this  time,  he  constantly  lifted  up 
his  eyes  towards  heaven,  with  his  arms  clasped 
together  in  a  praying  form,  and  said  two  or  three 
times,  "  When  this  great  conflict  is  over,  then," 
but  said  no  more,  though  it  was  understood  he 
meant  that  he  should  go  to  rest.  Dr.  Stonehouse 
came  to  him  about  three  hours  before  he  expired  ; 
Mr.  Hervey  spoke  aflectionately  to  him  of  the  im- 
portance of  his  everlasting  concerns,  and  entreated 
him  not  to  be  overcharged  with  the  cares  of  this 
life,  but  to  attend,  amidst  ihe  multiplicity  of  his 
business,  to  the  one  thing  needful,  adding  ; 

"  Which  done,  the  poorest  can  no  vrants  endure, 
And  which  not  done,  the  richest  must  be  poor." — Pope. 

This  he  said  with  such  an  emphasis  and  significant 
look,  as  conveyed  the  meaning  in  a  manner  the 
most  sensible  and  affecting. 

The  Doctor,  seeing  the  very  great  difficulty  and 
pain  with  which  he  spoke  every  word,  and  finding 
by  his  pulse  that  the  pangs  of  death  were  then 
coming  on,  desired  him  that  he  would  spare  him- 
self, "  No,"  said  he,  with  peculiar  ardour,  "  Doc- 


158 


LIFE  OF 


tor,  no ;  you  tell  me  I  have  but  a  few,  minutes  to 
live?  O  let  me  spend  them  in  adoring  our  great 
Redeemer!"  He  then  repeated  the  26di  verse  of 
the  73d  Psalm,  "  My  flesh  and  my  heart  faileth, 
but  God  is  the  strengdi  of  my  heart,  and  my  por- 
tion for  ever;"  and  he  expatiated,  in  a  most  de- 
lightful manner,  on  the  words  of  Paul,  1  Cor.  iii. 
22;  "All  are  yours,  whether  life  or  death,  things 
present  or  things  to  come,''  referring  his  friends  to 
the  exposition  of  Dr.  Doddridge.  "Here,"  said 
he,  "here  is  the  treasure  of  a  Christian;  death  is 
reckoned  among  this  inventory,  and  a  noble  trea- 
sure it  is!  How  thankful  am  I  for  death,  as  it  is 
the  passage  through  which  I  go  to  the  Lord  and 
giver  of  eternal  life  ;  and  as  it  frees  me  from  all  the 
misery  wiiich  you  see  me  now  endure,  and  which 
I  am  willing  to  endure  as  long  as  God  thinks  fit; 
for  I  know  that  he  will,  by  and  by,  in  his  own 
good  time,  dismiss  me  from  tiie  body.  These 
light  atHictions  are  but  for  a  moment,  and  then 
comes  an  eternal  weight  of  glory.  O  welcome, 
welcome  death !  thou  mayest  well  be  reckoned 
among  the  treasures  of  tlie  Christian;  to  live  is 
Christ,  and  to  die  is  gain."  After  whicli,  as  the 
Doctor  was  taking  liis  final  leave  of  him,  Mr. 
Hervey  expressed  great  gratitude  for  his  visits, 
though  it  had  been  long  ovit  of  the  power  of  medi- 
cine to  cure  him.  At  this  time  Mr.  Hervey  lay  for 
a  considerable  time  without  seeming  to  breathe ;  the 
company  in  the  room  thought  he  was  gone ;  Dr. 
Stonehoiise  took  a  looking-glass  and  placed  it  be- 
fore his  mouth,  and  observed  he  was  still  living;  a 
little  after  he  revived.  Having  paused  a  short  time, 
he,  with  great  serenity  and  sweetness  in  his  coun- 
tenance, though  the  pangs  of  death  were  upon  him, 


REV,    JAMES    H  E  R  V  E  y. 


159 


being  raiscti  a  little  in  liis  chair,  said:  "  Lord,  now 
leltest  thou  tliy  servant  depart  in  peace,  according 
to  thy  most  holy  and  comfortable  word,  for  mine 
ej'es  iiave  seen  thy  most  precious  and  comlortable 
salvation.  Here,  Doctor,  is  my  cordial;  wliat  are 
all  the  cordials  given  to  support  the  dying,  in  com- 
parison of  that  which  arises  from  the  j)romises  of 
salvation  by  Christ?  This,  this  supports  me  !" 

When  writing  Aspasio  Vindicated,  Mr.  Hervey 
had  intimated  his  earnest  wish  for  himself,  that  he 
might  die  the  death  of  Simeon,  and  his  God  gave 
him  the  desire  of  his  heart.  Jesus  made  him  a 
conqueror  over  all  the  powers  of  darkness:  having 
endeavoured  to  rob  him  of  his  peace,  but  in  vain, 
they  left  him  in  the  Saviour's  hand,  never  moi'e  to 
be  templed,  and  he  watched  over  iiim  with  the  ten- 
derest  love  until  he  took  him  home. 

About  three  o'clock,  he  said,  "The  conflict  is 
over;  now  all  is  done;"  after  whicli  he  scarcely 
spake  any  other  word  intelligibly,  except  "  Preci- 
ous salvation  !"  Some  years  before  his  death,  when 
he  found  himself  bowed  down  with  the  spirit  of 
weakness  and  infirmity,  being  afraid  lest  he  should 
disgrace  the  gospel  in  his  languishing  moments,  he 
earnesdy  prayed  to  God,  and  desired  others  to  unite 
in  the  same  petition,  that  he  might  not  then  dis- 
liononr  the  cause  of  Christ.  His  own  and  his 
friends'  prayers  were  heard ;  for,  notwithstanding 
his  lingering  weakness  and  depressed  spirits,  which 
at  length  gave  him  up  into  the  hands  of  death,  yet 
he  triumphed  over  all  his  fears,  and  over  the  grand 
tempter  and  adversary  of  souls,  and  in  no  common 
way  glorified  his  God  in  dying. 

During  the  last  hour  he  said  nothing.  Mean- 
while, it  may  jusdy  be  supposed,  though  men  could 


160 


LIFE  OF 


no  longer  hear  the  clear  name  of  Jesus,  as  the  sal- 
vation of  God,  reverberating  on  his  feeble  dying 
lips,  his  meditation  on  him  would  be  sweet,  till  in 
a  little  he  cried,  with  the  ransomed  millions  about 
the  throne,  "  Salvation  to  our  God,  and  the  Lamb, 
for  ever  and  ever."  Leaning  his  head  against  the 
side  of  the  easy-chair,  without  a  sigh,  or  groan,  or 
struggle,  or  the  least  emotion,  he  shut  his  eyes 
and  departed,  betwixt  four  and  five  in  the  after- 
noon, December  25,  1758,  in  the  forty-fifth  year 
of  his  age. 

To  use  the  words  of  Mr.  Romaine,  "  The  Lord 
heard  his  prayer,  '  Now  let  thy  servant  depart  in 
peace,'  and  gave  him  a  gentle  dismission.  He 
died  as  he  lived,  in  an  even  and  calm  composure  of 
mind ;  death  showed  that  he  came  to  iiim  as  a 
friendly  messenger  to  call  him  to  glory,  for  he 
cheerfully  obeyed  the  summons.  There  was  no 
fear,  no  terror,  but  he  departed  in  peace,  and  in  full 
assurance  of  faith." 

Wiien  his  body  was  conveyed  to  the  church,  it 
was  covered,  according  to  a  desire  which  he  had 
expressed,  with  the  poor's  pal! ;  and  he  was  buried 
under  the  middle  of  the  communion-table,  in  the 
chancel  of  Weston-Favel,  on  Friday,  the  28th  of 
December,  in  the  presence  of  a  numerous  congre- 
gation, full  of  regret  for  the  loss  of  so  excellent  a 
pastor.  One  who  was  present,  says  :  "  Mr.  Mad- 
dock  (his  excellent  curate)  was  in  tears;  some  were 
wringing  their  hands,  others  sobbing ,  many  were 
silently  weeping,  but  all  seemed  inwardly  and  sin- 
cerely grieved,  as  their  looks  sufficiently  testified, 
being  a  visible  witness  of  his  worth  and  their  sor- 
row." 

Many  years  after,  his  only  surviving  sister  placed 


REV.   JAMES   HERVEY.  161 

a  stone  over  his  grave,  with  the  following  inscrip- 
tion : 

HERE  LIE  THE  REMAINS 
OF  THE 

Rev.  JAMES  HERVEY,  A.  M. 

LATE  RECTOR  OF  THIS  PARISH, 

THAT  VERY  PIOUS  MAN 
AND  MUCH  ADMIRED  AUTHOR, 
WHO  DIED  DEC.  25,  1758, 
IN  THE  45tH  year  OF  HIS  AGE. 

Reader,  expect  no  more  to  make  him  known, 
Vain  the  fond  elegy  and  tigur'd  stone ; 
A  name  more  lasting  shall  his  writings  give, 
There  view  display'd  his  heavenly  soul,  and  live. 


14 


/ 


THE  LIFE 

OP  THE 

REV.  AUGUSTUS  M.  TOPLADY. 


VICAR  OF  BROAD  HEMBUKY. 


Rev.  AUGUSTUS  M.  TOPLADY. 


The  Rev.  Augustus  Montague  Toplady  was  the 
son  of  Ricliard  Toplady,  a  major  in  the  British 
army,  who  died  at  the  siege  of  Carthagena  soon 
after  his  birth.  His  mother's  maiden  name  was 
Catharine  Bate.  She  was  sister  to  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Bate,  rector  of  St.  Paul's,  Deptford.  He  was  born 
at  Farnham,  in  Surrey,  November  the  4th,  1740. 

He  received  the  first  rudiments  of  his  education 
at  Westminster  school,  where  he  early  evinced  pe- 
culiar abilities.  From  that  place  he  accompanied 
his  mother,  who  became  a  widow  at  an  early  period 
of  his  life,  in  a  journey  to  Ireland,  to  pursue  claims 
to  an  estate  which  she  had  in  that  country.  Not- 
withstanding the  solitary  state  in  which  his  mother 
was  left,  she  anxiously  watched  over  him  with  the 
deepest  sympathy  of  affection,  and  persevered  in  a 
plan  for  his  education  -and  future  views  in  life, 
which  were  the  principal  concerns  of  her  maternal 
solicitude.  He  was  entered  a  student  in  Trinity 
College,  Dublin,  and  took  his  degree  of  Bachelor 
of  Arts.  Mr.  Toplady  returned  his  mother's  ten- 
der care  with  the  utmost  affection.  Indeed,  so 
great  was  the  obligation  which  he  always  conceived 
he  owed  her,  that  he  never  mentioned  her  but  in 
words  expressive  of  affection  and  gratitude. 


1G6 


LIFE  OF 


As  he  was  improving  those  natural  talents  with 
which  he  was  eminently  endoMed,  it  pleased  God 
in  his  providence,  when  lie  was  about  the  age  of 
sixteen,  to  direct  his  steps  into  a  barn,  at  a  place 
called  Codymain,  in  Ireland,  where  a  layman, 
named  Morris,  was  preaching.  The  word  of  God 
Avhich  was  then  delivered,  was  fixed  upon  his  con- 
science, "  in  demonstration  of  the  Spirit  and  with 
power."  Let  it  not  rashly  be  deemed  enthusiasm 
when  it  is  asserted,  "  That  his  faith  did  not  stand 
in  the  wisdom  of  men,  but  in  the  power  of  God." 

A  few  years  after  the  above  memorable  circum- 
stance, Mr.  Toplady  reflects  upon  it  in  the  follow- 
ing words: — "February  29,  1768,  at  night,  after 
my  return  from  Exeter,  my  desires  were  strongly 
drawn  out,  and  drawn  up  to  God.  I  could,  indeed, 
say,  that  I  groaned  with  the  groans  of  love,  joy, 
and  peace ;  but  so  it  was,  even  with  comfortable 
groans  that  cannot  be  uttered.  That  sweet  text, 
Ephesians  ii.  13,  "  Ye,  who  sometimes  were  afar 
off,  are  made  nigh  by  the  blood  of  Christ,"  was 
particularly  delightful  and  refreshing  to  my  soul ; 
and  the  more  so,  as  it  reminded  me  of  the  days 
and  months  that  are  past,  even  the  day  of  my  sen- 
sible espousals  to  the  Bridegroom  of  the  elect.  It 
was  from  that  passage  that  Mr.  Morris  preached  on 
the  memorable  evening  of  my  effectual  call  by  the 
grace  of  God,  under  the  ministry  of  that  dear  mes- 
senger; and  under  that  sermon,  I  was,  I  trust, 
brought  nigh  by  the  blood  of  Christ,  in  August, 
1756. 

"  Strange  that  I,  who  had  so  long  sat  under  the 
means  of  grace  in  England,  should  be  brought  nigh 
to  God  in  an  obscure  part  of  Ireland,  amidst  a 
handful  of  God's  people  met  together  in  a  barn, 
and  under  the  ministry  of  one  who  could  hardly 


REV,   A.   M.   T  O  P  L  A  D  Y. 


167 


spell  his  name  !  Surely  it  was  the  Lord's  doing, 
and  is  marvellous!  The  excellency  of  such  power 
must  be  of  God,  and  cannot  be  of  man:  the  rege- 
neraling  Spirit  breathes  not  only  on  wliom,  but 
likewise  when,  where,  and  as  he  listeOi." 

Mr.  Toplady  early  made  it  appear  that  he  was 
not  afraid  of  literary  labour;  the  valuable  years  of 
his  youth  were  devoted  to  useful  and  honourable 
studies,  rather  than  to  frivolous  occupations,  such 
as  too  often  engross  the  minds  of  young  men  at 
his  age.  He  laid  a  solid  basis  for  future  years. 
Between  the  age  of  fifteen  and  eighteen,  by  way 
of  relaxation  from  his  studies,  he  employed  him- 
self in  writing  little  poetic  pieces,  which  were 
printed  at  Dublin,  in  the  year  1759.  They  are  by 
no  means  deficient  in  spirit  and  force :  some  of  the 
verses  are  truly  poetical,  and  many  of  the  thoughts 
new.  Amidst  the  small  inaccuracies  of  these  ju- 
venile compositions,  there  are  indubitable  marks  of 
genius.  The  ardour  of  piety  and  religion,  which 
irradiated  the  morning  of  his  life,  increased  in 
lustre  as  his  years  advanced. 

Richly  replete  with  a  variety  of  gifts,  and  di- 
vinely instructed  into  those  doctrines  requisite  for 
a  Christian  and  a  minister,  he  was  ordained  on 
Trinity  Sunday,  the  6th  of  June,  1762.  He  en- 
tered upon  the  ministerial  function,  not  only  as  a 
scholar,  and  as  one  professing  religion,  but  as  an 
honest  man.  He  was  well  persuaded,  that  after 
the  awful  declarations  made  by  every  candidate  for 
holy  orders,  the  man  who  can  draw  back,  or  pal- 
liate, for  any  sinister  purpose,  the  doctrines  he  has 
subscribed,  to  insinuate  himself  into  the  favour  of 
men,  to  avoid  persecution,  or  for  any  aggrandize- 
ment, must  be  devoid  of  every  upright  principle, 
and  openly  prove  himself  an  apostate  from  the 


168 


LIFE  OF 


church,  a  (raitor  to  the  cause  he  once  avowed,  and 
a  har  to  the  Holy  Ghost. 

Shortly  after  liis  initiation  into  the  ministry,  he 
was  inducted  into  the  living  of  Blagdon,  in  Somer- 
setshire, which  was  procured  by -friends,  in  a  man- 
ner very  usual ;  but  so  scrupulous  was  he  when 
acquainted  with  the  circumstance,  that  he  was  not 
easy  until  he  had  resigned  it.  He  then  went  to 
Fen-Ottery  and  Harpford,  and  in  the  year  1768 
took  possession  of  the  vicarage  of  Broad-Hembury, 
near  Honiton,  in  Devonshire,  which  he  held  until 
his  death.  Such  were  the  love  and  lenity  he  showed 
to  his  people,  that  the  Avhole  produce  of  the  living 
did  not  amount  to  eighty  pounds  per  annum.  He 
was  by  no  means  anxious  after  temporal  profits,  or 
desirous  of  ecclesiastical  preferments.  It  was  his 
pre-eminence  to  merit  the  highest,  and  to  be  con- 
tent with  the  lowest.  In  this  situation  he  composed 
the  greatest  part  of  his  writings. 

To  bring  the  reader  more  intimately  acquainted 
with  this  excellent  character,  we  shall  insert  co- 
pious extracts  from  a  diary  found  in  his  manuscript 
papers,  entided,  "  Short  memorials  of  God's  gra- 
cious dealings,  with  my  soul,  in  a  way  of  spiritual 
experience,  from  December  6,  1767,"  with  this 
motto,  "  Bethel  visits  ought  to  be  remembered." 

Sunday,  Dec.  6,  1767. — In  the  morning  read 
prayers  and  preached  here  at  Fen-Ottery,  to  a  very 
attentive  congregation.  In  the  afternoon,  the  con- 
gregation of  Harpford  was  exceedingly  numerous; 
and  God  enabled  me  to  preach  with  great  enlarge- 
ment of  mind  and  fervour.  The  doctrine  did  in- 
deed seem  to  descend  as  the  dew,  and  to  be  wel- 
come as  refreshing  showers  to  the  grass.  O  my 
Lord,  let  not  my  ministry  be  approved  only,  or 
tend  to  no  more  than  conciliating  the  esteem  and 


REV.   A.  M.  TOPLADY. 


169 


affections  of  my  people  to  tiiy  unworthy  messen- 
ger; but  do  the  work  of  thy  grace  upon  their  hearts : 
call  in  thy  chosen  ;  seal  and  edify  thy  regenerate; 
and  command  thy  everlasting  blessing  on  their 
souls  !  Save  me  from  self-opinion,  and  from  self- 
seeking;  and  may  they  cease  from  man,  and  look 
solely  to  thee ! 

Monday  7. — Received  a  letter  from  Mr.  Luce, 
and  answered  it.  Gracious  God,  dispose  of  the 
event  to  which  it  relates  as  seemeth  best  to  thee ! 
Choose  thou  my  heritage  and  my  lot !  Let  it  be 
thy  doing,  not  mine ! 

This  afternoon,  I  received  a  letter  from  my  ho- 
noured mother,  and  my  chest  from  London.  It  is 
a  satisfaction  to  receive  these  presents  and  pledges 
of  an  earthly  parent's  love;  but  all  the  relations 
and  all  the  good  things  of  this  life  are  less  than  no- 
thing and  vanity  when  compared  with  the  love  of 
Christ,  that  passeth  knowledge,  and  with  one 
glimpse  of  thy  special  favour,  O  thou  gracious  Fa- 
ther of  spirits. 

Thursday  10. — Heard  that  Mr.  Duke  has  had  a 
relapse  into  his  fever.  Pity  that  so  amiable  a  per- 
son in  other  respects,  should  want  the  one  thing 
needful!  How  much  has  he  suffered  since  I  knew 
him,  by  drinking  too  freely,  and  how  many  narrow 
escapes  has  he  had  of  his  life !  Yet,  I  fear,  he 
goes  on  still,  as  an  ox  to  the  slaughter.  "  It  hath 
set  him  on  fire  round  about,  yet  he  knows  it  not: 
it  burneth  him,  yet  he  lays  it  not  to  heart."  I 
bless  God,  who  has  enabled  me  to  be  faithful  to 
the  soul  of  my  friend,  and  put  it  into  my  mind  to 
write  him  that  letter  of  remonstrance  from  London, 
about  a  twelvemonth  ago.  But,  alas,  I  have  only 
delivered  my  own  soul!  Neither  experience  of 
present  evils,  nor  the  remonstrances  of  friends,. 
15 


170 


LIFE  OP 


will  or  can  have  any  true  effect  on  a  sinner's  heart, 
except  thou,  O  Almighty  Spirit,  vouchsafe  to  re- 
veal the  arm  of  thy  grace,  and  quicken  the  dead  in 
sin,  by  the  effectual  working  of  thy  glorious  power. 
As  overseer  of  this  parish,  I  went  down  in  the 
morning  to  view  two  of  the  poor-houses,  and  see 
what  repairs  they  want.  Lord,  what  am  I,  that 
thou  hast  cast  my  lot  in  fairer  ground,  and  given 
me  a  more  goodly  heritage !  Surely,  in  a  way  of 
providence,  no  less  than  in  a  way  of  grace,  thou 
hast  made  me  to  differ ;  and  I  have  nothing  which 
I  did  n,ot  receive  from  thee. 

In  the  evening,  wrote  to  my  mother.  Some 
particulars  in  her  last  letters  to  me,  obliged  me,  in 
my  answer,  to  make  the  following  observations, 
among  others: — "God  has  fulfilled  his  promises 
to  me,  so  often,  and  so  many  ways,  that  I  think, 
if  we  could  not  trust  his  faithfulness  and  power, 
we  should  be  doubly  inexcusable.  That  he  works 
by  means,  is  certain ;  and  I  hope  to  try  all  that  he 
puts  into  my  hands.  In  the  meanwhile,  let  us  cast 
our  care  on  him,  and  remember,  that  he  tliat  be- 
lieveth  shall  not  make  haste.  There  is  one  thing 
that  pleases  me  much  about  Broad-Hembury,  and 
makes  me  hope  for  a  blessing  on  the  event ;  name- 
ly, that  it  was  not,  from  first  to  last,  of  my  own 
seeking:  and  every  door,  without  any  Application 
of  mine,  has  hitherto  flown  open,  and  all  seems  to 
point  that  way.  As  a  good  man  somewhere  says, 
'  A  believer  never  yet  carved  for  himself,  but  he 
cut  his  own  fingers.'  The  all-wise  God,  whose 
never  failing  providence  ordereth  every  event,  usu- 
•  ally  makes  what  we  set  our  hearts  upon  unsatisfac- 
tory, and  sweetens  what  we  feared ;  bringing  real 
evil  out  of  seeming  good,  and  real  good  out  of 
seeming  evil,  to  show  us  what  short-sighted  crea- 


REV.   A.   M.  TOP  LADY, 


171 


hires  we  are,  and  to  teach  us  to  live  by  faith  upon 
his  blessed  self.  If  I  should  really  exchange  my 
present  living,  for  Broad-Hembury,  it  will,  I  be- 
lieve, be  soon  after  Christmas.  In  the  meanwhile, 
add  your  prayers,  that  God  himself  would  be 
pleased  to  choose  my  heritage  and  fix  my  lot; 
command  his  gracious  blessing  on  the  event;  turn 
the  balance,  as  seemeth  good  in  his  sight,  and 
make  it  entirely  his  own  doing,  not  mine.  Do  not 
let  your  tenderness  for  me  get  the  better  of  your 
confidence  in  God:  a  fault,  I  fear,  too  common, 
even  with  believing  parents.  Poor  Mr.  D.  is  re- 
lapsed, and  his  life  is  despaired  of.  Alas!  what  is 
wealth,  with  its  usual  attendants,  the  lust  of  the 
eye  and  the  pride  of  life,  when  death  stares  us  in 
the  face!  An  interest  in  the  covenant  of  grace  is 
of  more  value  than  all  the  worlds  God  hath  made. 
Riches  profit  not  in  the  day  of  wrath;  but  right- 
eousness, even  the  obedience,  blood  and  interces- 
sion of  Christ,  delivereth  from  the  sting  of  tempo- 
ral, and  from  the  very  possibility  of  suflTeriiig  eter- 
nal death.  In  him  may  we  be  foand,  living  and 
dying!" 

In  my  chamber,  before  I  went  to  bed,  was  much 
comforted  while  singing  praise  to  the  great  Three- 
One,  the  author  of  all  the  blessings  I  enjoy,  and  of 
all  I  hope  for.  I  can  testify,  by  sweet  and  repeat- 
ed experience,  that  singing  is  an  ordinance  of  God 
and  a  means  of  grace.  Lord,  fit  my  soul  to  bear 
a  part  in  that  song  for  ever  new,  which  the  elect 
angels,  and  saints  made  perfect  in  glory,  are  now 
singing  before  the  throne  and  before  the  Lamb ! 

Saturday,  12. — In  the  evening  read  bishop  New- 
ton on  the  Prophecies.  At  night,  was  earnest 
with  God  in  private  prayer,  for  a  blessing  on  my 
to-morrow's  ministrations,  and  received  an  answer 


172 


LIFE  OF 


of  peace.  Lord,  evermore  increase  iii)'  mental  de- 
pendence on  thy  Holy  Spirit.  1  am  less  than 
nothing,  if  less  can  be ;  and,  oh,  I  am  worse  than 
nothing,  for  1  am  a  vile  sinner!  But  thou  art  in- 
finitely gracious,  and  all  power  is  thine. 

Sunday,  13. — The  Lord  was  with  me  both  parts 
of  the  da_v.  Water,  O  God,  the  souls  that  heard; 
and  the  seed  of  thy  word,  sown  in  weakness,  do 
thou  raise  in  power. 

Monday,  14.  —  This  morning,  one  William 
Towning,  about  nineteen  j  ears  old,  was  brought 
here  before  Mr.  Penny,  for  breaking  open  and  rob- 
bing farmer  Endicoit's  house  yesterday  afternoon, 
in  time  of  service,  while  the  family  were  at  church. 
My  honest  parishioner,  it  seems,  just  before  he 
went  out,  stept  back  into  his  room,  he  knew  not 
why,  and  put  away  a  considerable  sum  of  money 
into  a  more  secret  place  than  where  it  had  lain  for 
some  time  past,  by  which  means  he  was  only  rob- 
bed of  little  more  than  thirty  shillings  in  money. 
How  evidently  providential !  Just  before  the  un- 
happy young  man  was  going  off,  from  Mr.  Penny's, 
for  Exeter  jail,  his  father,  who  had  heard  of  his  son's 
situation  but  an  hour  or  two  before,  came  up  to  the 
house  with  a  look  that  too  plainly  declared  the 
agonies  of  his  heart.  Unable  to  face  his  parent, 
the  young  man  burst  into  tears,  and  retired  into  the 
orchard,  whither  his  guard  and  his  father  followed 
him.  Lord,  if  it  be  consistent  with  ihe  counsel  of 
thy  will,  be  the  comforter  and  the  salvation  of  this 
sinner  and  his  afflicted  family.  Bad  as  he  is,  thy 
grace  can  melt  him  down.  By  nature  I  am  as  vile 
as  he:  yet  I  am,  I  trust,  a  monument  of  mercy, 
and  a  trophy  of  thy  redeeming  power.  Blessed  be 
the  Lord,  my  new  creator!  Blessed  be  the  Lord, 
my  faithful  keeper! 


REV,    A.   M.  TOPLADY, 


173 


Before  I  came  out  of  my  chamber,  to-day,  I  was 
too  hasty  and  short  in  private  prayer.  My  con- 
science told  me  so  at  the  time ;  and  yet,  such  was 
my  ingratitude  and  my  folly,  that  I  nevertheless 
restrained  prayer  before  God.  In  the  course  of 
the  day,  I  had  great  reason  to  repent  of  my  first 
sin,  by  being  permitted  to  fall  into  another.  It  is 
just,  O  Lord,  that  thou  shouldst  withdraw  thy  pre- 
sence from  one  who  Avaited  so  carelessly  on  thee. 
May  I  never  more,  on  any  pretext  whatever,  rob 
thee  (or  rather  deprive  my  own  soul)  of  thy  due 
worship;  but  make  all  things  else  give  way  to 
communion  with  thee! 

The  Lord,  however,  was  pleased,  in  a  few  hours, 
sensibly  to  heal  my  backslidings,  and  open  the  in- 
tercourse of  love  between  himself  and  me.  I  never 
so  feelingly  wonder  at  my  own  depravity,  nor  so 
deeply  abhor  myself,  as  when  the  fire  of  divine 
love  warms  my  heart,  and  the  out-pourings  of 
God's  Spirit  enliven  my  soul.  Surely  the  know- 
ledge of  salvation  is  the  most  powerful  incentive  to 
repentance ;  and  not  only  the  most  prevailing,  but  an 
absolutely  irresistible  motive  to  universal  holiness  ! 

Sunday,  20. — Was  indisposed  the  former  part  of 
the  day.  Read  prayers  and  preached  in  the  morn- 
ing, but  languidly.  In  the  afternoon  God  renewed 
my  strength,  and  I  read  prayers  and  preached  at 
Harpford,  with  much  freedom  of  soul,  to  an  ex- 
ceedingly large  congregation.  Oh  the  diflference,  the 
inexpressible  difference,  between  enjoying  God's 
presence,  and  pining  in  his  absence !  This  day  my 
soul  has  been  like  a  chariot  without  wheels,  and 
afterwards  mounted  as  on  eagles'  wings.  Blessed 
be  God  for  tempering  distress  with  joy  !  too  much 
of  the  former  might  weigh  me  quite  down;  too 
much  of  the  latter  might  exalt  me  above  measure. 


174 


L I  F  K  OF 


It  is  wisely  and  kindly  done,  O  God,  to  give  me 
a  taste  of  both. 

Tuesday,  22. — All  day  within.  The  former  part 
of  it,  I  was  considerably  out  of  order,  and  expe- 
rienced something  of  what  it  is  to  have  a  body 
without  health,  and  a  soul  without  comfort.  But, 
while  I  was  musing,  the  fire  kindled,  and  the  light 
of  God's  countenance  shone  within.  I  found  a 
particular  blessing,  in  reading  Mr.  Mayo's  sermon 
(Morning  Exercises,  vol.  iv.  Serm.  iv.)  on  our 
"  deliverance  by  Christ  from  the  fear  of  death," 
Heb.  ii.  1.5.  Several  things,  in  that  choice  dis- 
course, struck  me  much;  among  the  rest  the  ob- 
servations that  follow;  "The  apostle  says,  (I 
Thess.  iv.  14.)  that  Jesus  died,  but  that  the  saints 
sleep  in  him  ;  the  reason  why  the  phrase  is  varied 
is,  because  he  sustained  death  with  all  its  terrors, 
that  so  it  might  become  a  calm  and  quiet  sleep  to 
the  saints."  "  Satan  desired  to  have  Peter,  that  he 
might  sift  him  as  wheat;  and  with  what  did  he  sift 
and  shake  him!  Why,  it  was  with  the  fear  of 
death.  Peter  was  afraid  they  would  deal  with  him 
as  they  were'  dealing  with  liis  master.  It  was  his 
slavish  fear  of  death  that  made  him  deny  Christ; 
but  anon,  he  recovered  himself,  and  got  above  this 
fear:  how  came  this  about?  It  was  by  means  of 
faith.  Christ  had  prayed  for  him,  that  his  faith 
should  not  fail.    It  may  be  said  of  those,  who  are 

fearful  of  death,  that  they  are  of  little  faith."  

"  It  is  usual  with  God  to  give  his  people  some  clus- 
ters of  the  grapes  of  Canaan,  here  in  the  wilder- 
ness ;  to  give  them  some  drops  of  that  new  wine, 
which  they  shall  drink  in  the  kingdom  of  their 
Father.  This  sets  them  a  longing  to  have  their 
fill  thereof;  even  as  the  Gauls,  when  they  had  tas- 
ted the  wines  of  Italy,  were  not  satisfied  to  have 


REV.    A.   M.  TOPLADY. 


175 


those  wines  brought  to  ihem,  but  would  go  to  pos- 
sess tlie  land  where  the  vines  grew." 

In  the  afiernoon,  my  indisposition  was,  in  great 
measure,  removed.  Surely  the  shedding  abroad  of 
divine  love  in  the  heart,  and  a  good  hope  through 
grace,  frequently  conduce  as  much  to  the  health  of 
the  body  as  to  health  of  soul.  This  is  not  the  first 
time  I  have  found  it  so. 

Thursday,  24. — My  faith  was  weak,  and  my 
comfort  small,  this  whole  day,  especially  in  the 
evening.  Yet,  this  is  my  rock  of  dependence,  that 
the  foundation  of  the  Lord  standeth  sure ;  his  love 
is  unchangeable ;  his  purpose  according  to  election 
cannot  be  overthrown;  his  covenant  is  from  ever- 
lasting to  everlasting;  and  he  girdeth  me  when  I 
know  it  not. 

Friday,  25. — Read  prayers,  preached,  and  ad- 
ministered the  Holy  sacrament  here  at  Fen-Ottery, 
in  the  morning.  Farmer  T  e,  whom  I  hap- 
pened to  meet  at  Miktam,  no  longer  ago  than  last 
Wednesday  evening,  so  drunk  that  he  could  hardly 
sit  on  his  horse,  presented  himself  at  the  Lord's 
table,  with  the  rest  of  the  communicants;  but  I 
passed  him  by,  not  daring  to  administer  the  sym- 
bols of  my  Saviour's  body  and  blood  to  one  who 
had  lately  crucified  him  afresh,  and  had  given  no 
proof  of  repentance.  He  appeared  surprised  and 
abashed.  Lord,  make  this  denial  of  the  outward 
visible  sign,  a  means  of  inward  and  spiritual  grace 
to  his  soul ! 

I  would  observe  that  I  have,  through  the  blessing 
of  God,  been  perfectly  well  through  this  whole  day, 
both  as  to  health,  strength,  and  spirits;  and  gone 
through  my  church  duties.wilh  the  utmost  ease, 
freedom,  and  pleasure,  yet  I  have  experienced 
nothing  of  that  spiritual  comfort  and  joy,  which  I 


176 


LIFE  OF 


sometimes  do.  A  demonstration  this,  that  they 
are  prodigiously  wide  of  the  mark,  who  think  that 
what  believers  know  to  be  the  joys  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  are,  in  fact,  no  otlier  than  certain  pleasing 
sensations,  arising  from  a  brisk  circulation  of  the 
blood,  and  a  lively  flow  of  the  animal  spirits.  In 
this  light,  the  consolations  of  God  are  considered 
by  those  who  never  experienced  them.  But  if 
what  the  regenerate  declare  to  be  the  sweetness  of 
divine  fellowship,  is,  in  reality,  no  more  than  what 
the  cold  formalist  imagines,  it  would  follow,  that 
every  person,  when  in  full  health  and  spirits,  ac- 
tually enjoys  that  inward  complacency  and  sweet- 
ness. But  this  is  very  far  from  being  the  case.  I 
myself  am  a  witness,  that  spiritual  comforts  are 
sometimes  highest,  when  bodily  health,  strength, 
and  spirits  are  at  the  lowest;  and  when  bodily 
health,  strength,  and  spirits  are  at  the  highest, 
spiritual  comforts  are  sometimes  at  the  lowest; 
nay,  clear  gone,  and  totally  absent.  Whence  I 
conclude,  that  the  sensible  effusion  of  divine  love 
in  the  soul,  is  superior  to,  independent  of,  and  dis- 
tinct from,  bodily  health,  strength  and  spirits. 
These  may  be  where  that  is  not,  and  the  reverse. 

At  night,  in  my  cliamber,  God  was  with  me  in 
my  private  waiting  upon  him;  and  I  could  indeed 
say,  from  a  heart-felt  sense  of  his  love,  that  it  is 
good  for  me  to  draw  nigh  unto  the  Lord.  Thy 
visitation,  sweet  Jesus,  is  the  life  and  joy  of  my 
spirit. 

Sunday.  27. — In  the  morning  read  prayers  and 
preached  at  Harpford,  to  a  congregation  tolerably 
large,  and  very  attentive.  Afterwards  administer- 
ed the  Lord's  supper  to  some  who  appeared  truly 
devout  communicants.  It  was  indeed  an  ordinance 
of  love  to  my  own  soul.    I  experienced  the  favour 


REV.  A.   M.  TOPLADY. 


177 


and  presence  of  God.  I  sat  under  his  shadow 
with  great  delight,  and  his  fruit  was  pleasant  to 
my  taste. 

In  the  afternoon  read  prayers  and  preached  with 
great  hberty  and  enlargement  of  mind,  here  at 
Fen-Ottery.  My  subject  was  Acts  xiii.  39.  The 
sermon  itself,  excepting  a  few  additions  here  and 
there,  was  what  I  had  formerly  written  in  Ireland, 
in  the  year  1760,  a  litde  before  I  quitted  college. 
I  can  never  be  sufficiently  thankful,  that  my  reli- 
gious principles  were  all  fixed,  long  before  I  enter- 
ed into  orders.  Through  the  good  hand  of  my 
God  upon  me,  I  set  out  in  the  ministry  with  clear 
gospel-light  from  the  first;  a  blessing  not  vouch- 
safed to  every  one.  Many  an  evangelical  minister 
has  found  himself  obliged  to  retract  and  unsay 
what  he  had  taught  before  in  the  days  of  his  igno- 
rance. Lord,  how  is  it  that  I  have  been  so  sig- 
nally favoured  of  thee!  O  keep  me  to  the  end, 
steadfast  in  thy  truths.  Let  me  but  go  on  experi- 
mentally and  sensibly  to  know  thee,  and  then  it 
will  be  absolutely  impossible  for  me  to  depart  from 
tlie  precious  doctrines  of  grace;  my  early  insight 
into  which,  I  look  upon  as  one  of  the  distinguish- 
ing blessings  of  my  life. 

In  the  evening,  received  a  letter  from  Mr.  An- 
drew Lacam,  of  London ;  wherein  he  gives  me  this 
account  of  his  late  sister,  Mrs.  Carter,  who  died 
last  month :  "  She  had,  for  some  time,  left  the 
Fountain  of  living  waters.  I  had  two  diff'erent 
conferences  with  her  during  her  illness.  I  assured 
her  that  I  did  not  come  to  lord  it  over  her;  but,  in 
love  to  her  soul,  put  tlie  question,  how  stand  mat- 
ters  between  God  and  you  ?  Her  attestation  was, 
with  sighs  and  tears,  as  follows:  I  am  truly  sen- 
sible that  I  have  run  away  from  God;  and  it  is 


178 


LIFE  OF 


my  heart's  burden.  But  it  is  written  in  God's 
word,  Whoso  cometh  unto  me,  I  will  in  no  wise 
cast  out.  I  will,  therefore,  upon  his  promise,  ven- 
ture to  cast  my  soul,  without  reserve,  upon  Jesus 
Christ;  and  there  I  am  sure  I  can  never  perish. 
Upon  this  we  went  to  prayer,"  <fec. 

I  could  not  forbear  answering  my  friend's  letter, 
almost  as  soon  as  I  received  it;  and,  among  other 
things,  observed  to  him  as  follows: 

"  The  account  you  give  of  dear  Mrs.  Carter's 
decease,  is  a  ground  for  hope  in  Israel  concerning 
her.  It  is  a  great  and  blessed  thing,  when  we  are 
enabled  to  cast  ourselves  on  the  promises.  It 
cannot  possibly  be  done  without  faith;  and  he  that 
believeth  shall  be  saved.  Adored  be  the  free  grace 
of  God  which,  I  trust,  healed  the  backslidings  of 
your  sister,  and  brought  her  again  within  the  bond 
of  the  covenant.  His  Spirit  alone  can  drive  the 
ploughshare  of  penitential  conviction  through  a 
sinner's  heart,  and  give  us  to  mourn  at  the  spiritual 
sight  of  Him  whom  our  sins  have  pierced.  The 
Lord  give  us  to  mourn  more  and  more,  until  we 
have  mourned  away  our  unbelief,  our  carelessness, 
and  hardness  of  heart!  The  soul,  I  verily  believe, 
is  never  safer  than  when,  with  returning  Mary,  we 
stand  at  the  feet  of  Christ,  behind  him,  weeping. 
I  read  lately  of  a  minister,  in  the  last  century, 
whose  departing  words  were,  '  A  broken  and  a 
contrite  heart,  0  God,  thou  wilt  not  despise.'  Nor 
can  I  think  such  a  state  to  be  at  all  inferior,  in 
point  of  real  safety,  to  that  of  a  good  man  who  died 
a  few  years  ago  in  London,  with  these  triumphant 
words  in  his  mouth :  '  Now,  angels,  do  your  office.' 
Of  some,  it  is  written,  '  They  shall  come  with 
weeping,  and  with  supplications  will  I  lead  them;' 
while  others  of  the  Lord's  people  enter  the  haven 


BEV.    A.   M.   TOPLADY.  179 

of  everlasting  life,  as  it  were,  with  full  sails  and 
flying  colours :  they  '  return  with  singing  unto 
Zion.'  But  this  is  our  comfort,  that  of  all  wliom 
the  Fatlier  gave  to  Christ,  he  will  not  lose  one. 
However  the  joy  of  faith  may  decline,  the  grace 
itself  shall  never  totally  fail,  having  for  its  security 
the  Father's  covenant  love,  which  is  from  everlast- 
ing to  everlasting;  the  blessed  Mediator's  interces- 
sion, which  is  perpetual  and  all-prevailing;  and  the 
faithfulness  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  who,  when  once 
given,  is  a  fountain  of  living  water,  springing  up 
in  the  beUever's  heart  to  life  eternal.  May  he,  in 
all  liis  plenitude  of  saving  grace  and  heavenly  love, 
descend  upon  our  souls  as  dew,  and  make  us  glad 
with  the  light  of  his  countenance!  When  I  con- 
sider the  goodness  of  God  to  me,  the  chief  of  sin- 
ners, I  am  astonished  at  the  coldness  of  my  grati- 
tude and  the  smaUness  of  my  love.  Yet,  little  and 
cold  as  it  is,  even  that  is  his  gift  and  the  worl*  of 
his  Spirit;  an  earnest,  I  cannot  doubt,, of  more  and 
greater.  The  Lord  Jesus  increase  the  spark  to  a 
flame,  and  make  the  litUe  one  become  a  thousand ! 
My  health,  after  which  you  are  so  kind  as  to  in- 
quire, was  never  better;  and,  what  is  greater  still, 
I  often  experience  the  peace  that  passeth  all  under- 
standing, and  the  joy  that  is  unspeakable  and  full 
of  glory.  Not  that  I  am  always  upon  the  mount. 
There  are  seasons  in  which  my  Lord  is  '  as  one 
that  hideth  himself.'  But  he  only  hides  himself ; 
he  never  forsakes  the  sinner  he  has  loved.  And, 
blessed  be  his  name,  he  has  engaged  that  the  re- 
generate soul  shall  never  totally  forsake  him;  else 
there  would  never  be  a  saint  in  heaven.  I  rejoice 
to  hear  of  Mrs.  Ws  temporal  welfare,  and  pray 
God  to  make  her,  spiritually,  such  as  he  would 
have  her  to  be.    She  and  I  have  much  chaff  to  be 


180 


LIFE  OF 


burnt  up — much  tin  to  be  consumed;  may  the 
blood  of  the  Lamb  be  upcm  us  both  for  pardon, 
and  the  sacred  Spirit  be  to  us  as  a  refining  fire  for 
sanctification.  If  you  M'rite  to  her,  do  present  the 
captain  and  her  with  my  Christian  respects ;  and 
let  her  know  from  me,  that  except  she  comes  to 
Christ,  as  a  poor  sinner,  with  the  halter  of  self- 
abasement  round  her  neck,  and  the  empty  vessel 
of  faith  in  her  hand,  as  a  condemned  criminal  who 
has  nothing  to  plead,  and  as  an  insolvent  debtor 
who  has  noihing  to  pay,  she  is  stout-hearted  and 
far  from  righteousness.  The  way  to  be  filled  with 
the  fulness  of  God,  is  to  bring  no  money  in  our 
sack's  mouth.  If  you  see  my  old  friend,  Mr.  I., 
tell  him  that  he  will  not  be  able  to  find  any  rest 
for  the  sole  of  his  foot,  until  he  returns  to  the  doc- 
trines of  grace,  and  flies  back  to  the  ark  of  God's 
election." 

y'uesday,  29. — At  night,  before  I  betook  myself 
to  rest,  I  was  enabled  to  act  faith  very  strongly  on 
the  promises.  It  was  as  if  I  had  held  a  conversa- 
tion with  God.  He  assured  me  of  his  faithfulness, 
and  I  trusted  him.  It  was  whispered  to  my  soul, 
"  Thou  shall  find  me  faithful ;"  my  soul  answered, 
"Lord,  I  believe  it:  I  take  ihee  at  thy  word." 
This,  I  am  certain,  was  more  tiian  fancy.  It  was 
too  sweet,  too  clear,  and  too  powerful,  to  be  the 
daughter  of  imagination.  There  was  a  nescio  quid 
divini,  (something  divine,)  attended  with  joy  un- 
speakable, as  much  superior  to  all  the  sensations 
excited  by  earthly  comforts,  as  the  heavens  are 
higher  than  the  earth.  Besides,  in  my  experiences 
of  this  kind,  when  under  the  immediate  light  of 
God's  presence  within,  my  soul  is,  in  a  great 
measure,  passive,  and  lies  open  to  the  beams  of 
the  Sun  of  righteousness.    The  acts  of  faith,  love, 


REV.    A.   M.   T  O  P  L  A  D  Y, 


181 


and  spiritual  aspiration,  are  subsequent  to,  and 
occasioned  by  tiiis  unutterable  reception  of  divine 
influence.  I  bless  my  God,  I  know  his  inward 
voice,  the  still  small  whisper  of  his  good  Spirit; 
and  can  distinguish  it  from  every  other  suggestion 
whatever.  Lord,  evermore  give  me  this  bread  to 
eat,  which  the  world  knoweth  not  of! 

Wednesday,  30. — Held  my  tithe  dinner  at  Ilarp- 
ford.  The  greater  part  of  both  parishes  attended : 
they  seemed  greatly  satisfied ;  and  I  had  as  much 
reason  to  be  satisfied  with  them.  Busy  as  I  was 
myself  in  receiving  my  dues,  and  numerous  as  the 
company  was,  Mr.  Powell,  of  Ottery,  (who  made 
one,)  and  myself,  had  several  opportunities  of  con- 
versing on  the  best  subjects,  particularly  the  decrees 
of  God,  and  the  spiritual  impotence  of  man's  will. 

Before  I  went  to  bed,  God  gave  me  such  a  sense 
of  his  love  as  came  but  little  short  of  full  assurance. 
Who  am  I,  O  Lord  ?  The  weakest  and  the  vilest 
of  all  thy  called  ones;  not  only  the  least  of  saints, 
but  the  chief  of  sinners.  But  though  a  sinner,  yet 
sanctified  in  part  by  the  Holy  Ghost  given  unto  me. 
I  should  wrong  the  work  of  his  grace  upon  my 
heart,  was  I  to  deny  my  regeneration ;  but  Lord,  I 
wish  for  a  nearer  conformity  to  thy  image.  My 
short-comings  and  my  mis-doings,  my  unbelief  and 
want  of  love,  would  sink  me  into  the  nethermost 
hell,  was  not  Jesus  my  righteousness  and  my  re- 
demption. 'I'here  is  no  sin  which  1  should  not  com- 
mit, was  not  Jesus,  by  the  power  of  his  Spirit,  my 
sanctification.  O,  when  shall  I  resemble  him  quite, 
and  have  all  the  mind  that  was  in  him?  When  I 
see  him  face  to  face,  which  God  will  hasten  in  his 
time. 

Thursday,  31. — All  day  within,  reading.  The 
thought  of  how  many  acquaintances  I  have  lost  by 


182 


LIFE  OP 


death,  within  the  course  of  this  year,  dwelt  with 
great  weight  upon  my  mind.  And  yet  I  am  spared! 
Lord,  may  it  be  for  good,  and  not  for  evil !  There 
are  (that  I  know  of,)  but  two  things  worth  living 
for: — 1.  To  further  the  cause  of  God,  and  thereby 
glorify  him  before  the  world.  2.  To  do  good  to 
the  souls  and  bodies  of  men. 

Upon  a  review  of  the  past  year,  I  desire  to  con- 
fess that  my  unfruitfulness  has  been  exceedingly 
great;  my  sins  still  greater:  and  God's  mercies 
greater  than  both.  It  is  now  between  eleven  and 
twelve  at  night :  nor  can  I  conclude  the  year  more 
suitably  to  the  present  frame  of  my  own  mind,  than 
with  tlie  following  verse  from  one  of  my  hymns, 
which  expresses  both  my  sense  of  past,  and  my 
humble  dependence  on  divine  goodness  for  future 
favours : 

Kind  Author,  and  ground  of  my  hope. 

Thee,  thee  for  my  (iod  I  avow ; 
My  glad  Ebenezer  set  up. 

And  own  tliou  hast  helped  me  till  now  : 
I  muse  on  the  years  that  are  past, 

Wherein  my  defence  thou  hastprov'd; 
Nor  wilt  thou  abandon  at  last 

A  sinner  so  signally  lov'd. 

Saturday,  January  2,  1768. — In  the  afternoon, 
called  on  William  Perry,  of  Southertown.  Our 
discourse  happened  to  take  a  serious  turn.  Among 
other  subjects,  we  spoke  concerning  the  divinity  of 
the  ever-blessed  Son  of  God.  I  could  scarce  help 
smiling,  at  the  same  time  that  I  lieartily  applauded 
the  honest  zeal  of  my  well-meaning  parishioner: 
— "  Let  any  man,"  said  he,  "  but  search  the  Scrip- 
tures, and  if  he  does  not  find  that  Christ,  as  a  di- 
vine person,  subsisted  not  only  previous  to  his  birth 


E  E  V.   A.   M.   TO  PL  A  D  Y.  183 


of  the  virgin  Mary,  but  from  everIastin<T,  I  will 
lose  my  head."  This  brought  to  my  mind  that  just 
observation  of  the  late  excellent  Mr.  Hervey,  who, 
speaking  of  Christ's  atonement,  says,  "  Ask  any 
of  your  serious  tenants  what  ideas  arise  in  their 
minds,  upon  a  perusal  of  the  forementioncd  texts? 
I  dare  venture  that,  artless  and  unimproved  as  their 
understandings  are,  they  will  not  hesitate  for  an 
answer.  They  will  neither  complain  of  obscurity, 
nor  ask  the  assistance  of  learning,  but  will  imme- 
diately discern,  in  all  these  passages,  a  gracious 
Redeemer  suffering  in  their  stead  ;  and  by  his  bit- 
ter but  expiatory  passion,  procuring  the  pardon  of 
their  sins.  Nay,  further,  as  they  are  not  accus- 
tomed to  the  finessee  of  criticism,  I  appreiiend  they 
v.'ill  be  at  a  loss  to  conceive  how  it  is  possible  to 
understand  such  passages  in  any  other  sense." 

Sunday,  3. — Read  prayers  and  preached  in  the 
morning,  here  at  Fen-Ottery ;  and  in  the  afternoon, 
at  Harpford,  to  a  very  large  congregation,  consid- 
ering the  quantity  of  snow  that  lies  on  the  ground, 
and  the  intenseness  of  the  frost,  which  render  it 
almost  equally  unsafe  to  walk  or  ride.  I  opened 
the  ministrations  of  this  year  with  that  grateful  ac- 
knowledgment of  the  aposUe,  1  Cor.  xv.  10,  "  By 
the  grace  of  God  I  am  what  I  am:"  which  was  my 
thesis  both  parts  of  the  day.  My  liberty,  both  of 
spirit  and  utterance,  was  very  great  in  the  afternoon. 
Looking  on  my  watch,  I  was  surprised  to  find  that 
I  had  detained  my  dear  people  three-quarters  of  an 
hour;  and  yet,  when  I  concluded,  they  seemed  un- 
willing to  rise  from  their  seats,  notwithstanding  the 
unusual  intenseness  of  the  cold.  Lord  of  hosts, 
who  hast  all  hearts  in  thy  hand,  work  in  my  hear- 
ers both  to  be,  to  will,  and  to  do,  of  th}^  good 
pleasure ! 


184 


LIFE  OP 


This  dreadfully  severe  weather  contimiinff,  I  or- 
dered two  more  bushels  of  wheat  to  be  distributed. 

Saturday,  9. — This  evening  I  felt  unusual  diffi- 
dence in  myself,  about  the  performance  of  to-mor- 
row's duty.  Free,  blessed  be  God,  from  fightings 
without,  I  yet  had  fears  within.  1  besought  the 
Lord  to  manifest  his  strength  in  my  weakness ;  and 
these  precious  words  were  returned  with  unuttera- 
ble power  and  sweetness  to  my  soul :  "  Trust  in  the 
Lord  Jehovah,  for  in  him  is  everlasting  strength." 
I  was  instantly  enabled  to  cast  myself,  with  perfect 
acquiescence,  on  the  message  from  Heaven;  which, 
though  delivered  as  an  exhortation,  is,  in  effect,  a 
most  glorious  and  comfortable  promise.  My  doubts 
ceased;  my  misgivings  vanished  away;  and  I  was 
assured  that  God  would  certainly  give  me  a  supply 
of  sabbath-day  strength  for  a  sabbath-day's  work. 

Sunday,  10. — Found  God  faithful  to  his  word. 
Great  was  my  strength,  both  morning  and  afternoon, 
nor  less  the  liveliness  of  my  soul  in  preaching. 

Received  a  letter  from  my  honoured  mother. 
The  same  person  who  brought  it,  brought  me  like- 
wise two  London  newspapers,  which  1  hope  to 
read  to-morrow;  but  dare  not  on  God's  day.  After 
evening  service,  visited  and  prayed  with  William 
May,  senior.  His  cry  was,  "  What  shall  I  do  to 
be  saved?"  But  I  could  not,  on  close  conversation 
with  him,  discover  the  least  sign  of  evangelical  re- 
pentance. He  neither  sees  the  vileness  of  his  heart, 
nor  knows  his  need  of  Christ.  Lord,  bless  what  I 
was  enabled  to  speak,  and  do  that  work  upon  his 
soul  which  man  cannot!  One  of  the  most  difficult 
and  discouraging  parts  of  the  ministry,  I  have  long 
found,  is  visiting  the  ignorant  and  unawakened  sick. 
But  nothing  is  too  hard  for  God.  He,  whose  grace 
wrought  on  me,  is  able  to  work  on  the  sinner  I 
have  been  with  to-day. 


REV.   A.   M.  TOPLADY. 


185 


Tuesday,  12. — In  the  afternoon  red  Dr.  Calamy's 
account  of  the  ejected  ministers.  What  a  blow  to 
vital  religion,  to  the  protestant  interest  in  general, 
and  to  the  church  of  England  herself,  was  the  fatal 
extinguishment  of  so  many  burning  and  shining 
lights  !  But  they  are  now  where  the  wicked  cease 
from  troubling,  and  where  the  weary  are  at  rest. 

Sunday,  17.  —  God  gave  me  strength  to  go 
through  the  public  duties  of  the  day  in  a  comforta- 
ble and  becoming  manner.  In  the  morning,  read 
prayers  and  preached  here  at  Fen-Ottery,  to  a  large 
congregation ;  and  in  the  afternoon,  at  Harpford, 
to  an  exceedingly  numerous  one.  Between  morning 
and  afternoon  service  read  the  first  Epistle  to  the 
Thessalonians  in  the  Greek.  In  the  evening  read 
the  Cripplegate  Lectures.  Though  my  joy  in  the 
Lord  has  not  been  great  to-day,  yet  this  has  been  a 
profitable  sabbath  to  my  own  soul:  O  God,  make 
it  so  to  the  attentive  people  who  sat  under  my  un- 
worthy ministry ! 

Friday,  22. — In  the  morning  rode  to  Exeter,  by 
appointment,  to  meet  Mr.  Luce.  Bought  Cave's 
Historia  Literaria,  Brooks's  Dispensatory,  and 
Erskine's  Sermons,  in  three  volumes.  At  night,  I 
spent  tiiree  or  four  hours  reading  Erskine's  Ser- 
mons, particularly  the  following  ones  :  "  The  rent 
Vail  of  the  Temple;" — "The  Harmony  of  Divine 
Attributes; — "The  Believer  exalted  in  imputed 
Righteousness;" — and,  "Faith's  Plea  upon  God's 
Word  and  Covenant."  The  Reading  of  these 
sweet  discourses  was  wonderfully  blest  to  my  soul. 
Great  was  my  rejoicing  and  triumph  in  Christ. 
The  Lord  was  with  me  of  a  truth,  and  his  gracious 
visitation  revived  my  spirit.  One  moment's  com- 
munion with  Christ,  one  moment's  sense  of  union 
16 


186 


LIFE  OF 


with  him,  one  momeiu's  view  of  interest  in  him,  is 
inefTabie,  inestimable  ! 

Saturday,  23. — Continued  at  Exeter,  until  the 
afternoon.  Before  dinner,  Mr.  Luce  and  I  made 
a  formal  resignation  of  our  respective  livings,  be- 
fore Mr.  Geare  and  two  other  witnesses.  Having 
signed  and  sealed  the  instruments  of  resignation,  we 
left  them  with  Mr.  (Jeare,  to  be  transmitted  to  the 
bishop.  Prosper  thou  the  work  of  our  hands  upon 
us,  yea,  prosper  thou  our  handy  work,  Supreme 
Disposer  of  all  things!  May  thy  glorious  Majesty, 
and  thy  gracious  blessing  be  upon  us,  for  thy  mer- 
cies' sake  in  Jesus  Christ!  Amen. 

After  dinner,  left  Exeter,  and  returned'  to  Fen- 
Ottery.  The  ride  was  far  from  a  comfortable  one. 
Hail,  rain,  or  snow,  almost  the  whole  way. 

I  think  this  has  been  the  most  remarkable  day, 
in  point  of  weather,  I  ever  knew.  Between  the 
time  of  my  rising  in  the  morning  and  returning 
home  at  night,  we  have  had  frost  and  thaw,  snow, 
rain,  hail,  thunder  and  lightning,  calm,  high  wind, 
and  sun-shine:  a  mixture  of  almost  all  weathers, 
from  sun-rise  to  sun-set. 

Before  I  retired  to  my  chamber,  I  read  Erskine's 
Sermon  (and  a  matchless  one  it  is,)  entided,  "The 
Promising  God  a  Performing  God;"  and  the  Lord 
set  the  seal  of  his  Spirit  on  my  heart.  I  was  en- 
abled to  mix  faith  with  whatl  read;  and  God  made 
it  a  time  of  love,  joy,  peace,  and  spiritual  refresh- 
ment to  my  soul.  I  could  look  and  pray  to  him  as 
my  covenant  God  in  Jesus  Christ,  who  loved  me 
from  everlasting,  and  will  love  me  without  end. 

Sunday,  24. — A  day  of  almost  perpetual  rain. 
Read  prayers  and  preached,  in  the  morning,  at 
Harpford,  and  here  in  the  afternoon,  to  large  con- 


REV.  A,   M.  TOPLADY. 


187 


gi-pgations,  considcrinfr  the  weatlier.  God  was 
with  me  in  a  way  of  bodily  strengih:  but  I  cannot 
say  I  liad  much  spiiiiual  communion  with  him  in 
a  way  of  sensible  intercourfce.  But  though  my 
fleece  was  not  Avatered,  I  trust  the  dew  of  heaven 
fell  around. 

Between  the  morning  and  afternoon  service,  I 
read  Erskine's  Sermon,  entitled,  "The  King  held 
in  the  Galleries:"  not  without  much  comfort  and 
confirmation  in  Christ. 

In  the  evening  farmer  Roberts  came  here  to  set- 
tle his  tythe.  I  told  him,  I  never  transacted  busi- 
ness on  the  Lord's  day,  and  desired  liim  to  defer 
paying  me  till  some  other  lime. — At  night  read 
Erskine's  Sermon,  entitled,  "The  humble  Soul 
the  peculiar  Favourite  of  Heaven." 

Sunday,  31. — Read  prayers  and  preached  in  the 
morning  here  at  Fen-Ottery ;  and,  in  the  afternoon, 
to  an  exceedingly  large  congregation  at  Harpford, 
Between  morning  and  afternoon  service,  I  made 
some  very  important  additions  to  my  sermon  (wrote 
last  Monday)  on  Ezek.  xxxvi.  25,  26,  27.  In  de- 
livering it  at  Harpford,  to-day,  God  was  with  me 
of  a  truth.  His  word  was  eagerly  received,  and 
seemed  to  be  deeply  felt,  by  very  many.  1  think 
I  have  seldom,  if  ever,  seen  sucii  an  appearance  of 
usefulness  among  my  Harpford  people,  since  I 
knew  them,  as  this  afternoon. 

How  sweet  is  the  work  of  the  ministry,  when 
attended  with  the  unction  and  power  of  the  Holy 
One!  My  soul  has  been  very  barren,  ever  since 
last  Lord's  day ;  but  this  sabbath  has  been  a  sabbath 
indeed. 

Spent  the  evening,  both  agreeably  and  profitably, 
in  reading  the  confession  of  faith,  charge,  and 
sermon,  delivered  at  Bristol  last  August,  at  the  or- 


188 


LIFE  OF 


dination  of  Mr.  Evans,  jun.  Blessed  be  God  for 
the  advancement  of  his  interest  among  us,  under 
whatever  form.  Lord,  increase  the  number  of  thy 
faithful  witnesses,  every  where,  and  in  every  de- 
nomination of  protestants ! 

Monday,  February  1. — Before  I  went  to  bed  this 
night,  the  Lord  favoured  me  with  some  sweet  inti- 
mations of  his  love. 

Sunday,?. — In  the  morning,  atHarpford;  and 
here,  at  Fen-Ottery,  in  the  afternoon,  I  read  prayers 
and  preached  to  a  ver}'  full  congregation  each  time  ; 
and,  1  trust,  the  word  was  blest  to  some.  My 
strength  and  enlargement  of  soul,  especially  in  the 
afternoon,  were  very  considerable.  Bless  the  Lord, 
O  my  soul ;  and  learn  to  trust  him  who  is  faith- 
fulness itself. — In  the  evening,  read  Bunyan's  Pil- 
grim. 

Wednesday,  10. — The  Lord  was  very  gracious 
to  my  soul  this  afternoon.  His  Spirit  was  the  Com- 
forter, and  Mr.  Erskine's  two  sermons,  on  "The 
Rainbow  of  the  Covenant,"  were  the  channel 
through  which  that  comfort  was  conveyed.  Amid 
my  many  seasons  and  long  intervals  of  barrenness 
and  want  of  joy,  God  sometimes  makes  me  glad 
with  the  light  of  his  countenance:  but,  alas!  I  can 
too  often  say,  with  him  of  old,  concerning  such 
sweet  seasons,  "  vara  hora,  brevis  mora''  (few 
and  short.)  Yet  I  can,  through  grace,  say  like- 
wise, 

A  moment's  intercourse  with  thee 
Is  worth  a  year's  delay. 

Surely,  O  God,  I  could  not  long  after  thy  pre- 
sence, if  I  did  not  know  the  sweetness  of  it,  and 
love  thee  in  some  measure :  and  I  could  not  know 
that,  but  by  the  revelation  of  thy  Spirit  in  my  heart; 


REV.  A.  sr.   T  0  P  L  A  D  Y. 


189 


nor  love  thee  at  all,  if  thou  hadst  not  first  loved 
me — We  grieve  at  the  absence  of  those  we  love, 
and  of  none  else  :  blessed  be  God  for  this  evidence 
of  true,  however  weak,  grace ! 

Thursday,  11. — Began  to  compose  a  course  of 
family-prayer.*  Lord,  prosper  the  work  of  my 
hands  upon  me,  and  make  it  useful ! 

Friday,  12. — A  Utile  before  bed-time,  I  darted 
up  an  ejaculation,  that  God  would  be  pleased  to 
strengthen  me,  and  give  me  faithfulness,  in  the  dis- 
charge of  my  duty  toward  the  parishioners  of  Broad- 
Hembury,  whither  I  expect  soon  to  remove.  My 
God  gave  me  this  sweet  answer  immediately,  "  I 
will  enable  thee,  and  bless  thee."  Behold  the  ser- 
vant of  the  Lord ;  be  it  unto  me,  according  to  thy 
word ! 

I  desire  to  remember,  with  grief  and  shame,  that 
soon  after  the  above  manifestation  of  God's  favour 
to  my  soul,  I  was  tempted,  before  I  could  get  to 
sleep,  with  high  thoughts  of  my  own  righteousness, 
both  as  a  man  and  as  a  minister.  The  enemy 
plied  his  fiery  darts  very  thick,  and  came  in  as  a 
flood  ;  but  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  lifted  up  a  stan- 
dard against  iiim.  I  was  enabled  (glory  to  divine 
grace  !)  to  reject  the  cursed  insinuations  as  1  would 
hell-fire.  Oh,  that  ever  such  a  wretch  as  L  should 
be  tempted  to  think  highly  of  himself!  1  that  am 
of  myself  nothing  but  sin  and  weakness ;  I,  in 
whose  flesh  naturally  dwells  no  good  thing;  L  who 
deserve  damnation  for  the  best  work  I  ever  per- 
formed !  Lord  Jesus,  humble  me  to  the  dust,  yea  to 
the  very  centre  of  abasement,  in  thy  presence. 
Root  out  and  tear  up  this  most  poisonous,  this  most 
accursed  weed,  from  the  unworthiest  heart  that  ever 
was.    Show  me  my  utter  nothingness.    Keep  me 

*  Published  in  his  Works. 


190 


LIFE  OF 


sensible  of  my  sinnership.  Sink  me  clown,  deeper, 
and  deeper,  into  penitence  and  self-abhorrence. 
Break  the  Dagon  of  pride  in  pieces  before  the  ark 
of  thy  merits.  Demolish,  by  the  breath  of  thy 
Spirit,  the  walls,  the  Babel  of  self-righteousness 
and  self-opinion  ;  level  them  with  the  trodden  soil, 
grind  them  to  powder,  annihilate  them  for  ever  and 
ever.  Grace,  grace,  be  all  my  experience,  and  all 
my  cry  !   Amen.  Amen. 

Sunday,  14. — In  the  morning,  read  prayers  and 
preached  here  at  Fen-Oltery,  to  a  pretty  full  audi- 
tory. In  the  afternoon,  read  prayers  at  Harpford, 
and  preached  Mrs.  Mary  \V baton's  funeral  ser- 
mon, to  an  exceedingly  great  congregation  indeed. 
I  could  not  forbear  observing,  "  that  God  had 
spared  her  to  a  good  old  age :  that  she  was  born 
in  the  year  1676,  ten  years  before  the  death  of 
Charles  II.  and  about  fourteen  before  the  coming 
in  of  king  William  III.,  that  she  lived  in  the  reign 
of  seven  monarchs,  and  died  last  Tuesday,  aged 
ninety-three."  Great  was  my  fervour  and  enlarge- 
ment of  soul ;  nor  less  to  appearance,  the  attention 
of  them  that  heard.  Nay,  they  seemed  to  do 
more  than  attend :  the  word,  I  verily  believe,  came 
with  power  and  weight  to  their  hearts.  I  never 
yet  saw  my  church  so  full  (insomuch  that  there 
was  hardly  any  standing)  and  think  I  seldom,  if 
ever,  beheld  a  people  that  seemed  to  relish  the  gos- 
pel better.  Neither  they  nor  myself  were  weary, 
though  I  detained  them  much  longer  than  usual. — ■ 
Since  my  intention  of  changing  livings  with  Mr. 
Luce  has  been  publicly  known,  a  spirit  of  great 
earnestness  and  life  appears  to  have  been  poured 
out  on  my  people.  And  yet,  I  trust,  I  see  my 
way  plainly  pointed  out,  and  that  it  is  the  will  of 
God  I  should  leave  them.    A  wonderful  combina- 


REV.  A.  M.  T  O  P  L  A  D  Y. 


191 


tion  of  providential  circumstances,  leaves  me  scarce- 
ly any  room  to  doubt  of  my  call  to  Broad-Hembu- 
ry.  Lord,  bring  me  not  up  thither,  unless  thy 
presence  goes  with  me  ! 

Mr.  Holmes,  of  Exeter,  came  from  thence  this 
morning  to  hear  the  unworthiest  of  God's  messen- 
gers. This  gentleman  was  at  my  churches,  both 
parts  of  the  day;  and,  from  what  conversation  I 
had  with  him,  appears  to  be  one  who  knows  and 
loves  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus. 

Wednesday,  17. — In  my  chamber,  this  evening, 
those  words,  2  Tim.  i.  7  :  "  God  hath  not  given 
unto  us  the  spirit  of  fear;  but  of  power,  and  of 
love,  and  of  a  sound  mind,"  were  impressed  much 
upon  my  heart,  and  my  meditation  on  them  was 
attended,  not  only  with  great  peace  and  sweetness, 
but  with  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost.  My  sense  of 
union  and  communion  with  God  was  very  clear: 
and  I  was  enabled  to  see  myself  one  of  God's  re- 
generate people,  by  finding  within  myself,  through 
the  riches  of  grace  alone,  those  three  infallible  evi- 
dences of  conversion,  which  that  delightful  text 
lays  down.  The  Spirit  of  Christ  was  to  me  a 
spirit  of  power,  when  he  effectually  called  me  to 
the  knowledge  of  himself  in  the  year  1756,  at 
Codymain,  in  Ireland,  under  the  ministry  of  Mr. 
James  Morris:  he  has  been,  and  is,  a  spirit  of  love, 
in  my  soul,  to  all  the  divine  persons;  and,  as  such, 
the  principle  of  sanctification :  and  he  has  been  to 
me  a  spirit  of  a  sound  mind,  by  leading  me  into, 
and  confirming  me  in,  the  light  of  gospel  truth,  in 
its  full  harmony  and  consistency  ;  which  I  verily 
belive,  for  my  own  part,  to  be  a  branch,  at  least, 
of  that  sophronismos  .(which,  among  other  signi- 
fications, denotes  wisdom  and  instruction,)  men- 
tioned by  the  apostle  in  that  passage;  and  may  not, 


192 


LIFE  OF 


I  apprehend,  be  improperly  rendered,  soundness  of 
judgment.  Yet,  the  sound  7nind,  abstracted  from 
the  poiver  and  the  love,  is  not,  of  itself  a  certain 
evidence  of  regeneration :  it  is  the  divine  powder, 
and  the  love  of  God  shed  abroad  in  the  heart, 
which  render  soundness  of  judgment  not  only  com- 
fortable, but  a  mark  of  saving  grace.  Blessed  be 
God  for  my  experience  of  all  the  three ! 

Sunday  21. — I  have  great  reason  to  be  thankful 
for  the  strength  and  presence  of  mind,  with  which 
I  was  enabled  to  go  through  with  my  public  duties, 
both  parts  of  the  day;  and  to  be  humbled  in  soul, 
for  my  want  of  spiritual  liveliness  and  fervour. 
Lord,  I  am  and  can  be  alert  in  thy  work  no  longer 
than  I  feel  the  efficacy  of  divine  attraction  :  may  I, 
if  it  please  thee,  feel  it  more  and  more,  for  the  sake 
of  thy  rich  mercy  in  Jesus  Christ.  Amen. 

In  the  evening  I  was  enabled  to  draw  much  spi- 
ritual improvement  from  that  passage,  John  xi.  40, 
"  Said  I  not  unto  thee,  that  if  thou  wouldst  be- 
lieve, thou  shouldst  see  the  glory  of  God?"  Lord, 
cause  me  to  do  the  one,  and  to  see  the  other! 

Tuesday,  23. — Awoke  very  early  this  morning, 
with  those  words  full  and  deep  upon  my  mind, 
"  I  will  give  unto  you  the  sure  mercies  of  David." 
I  cannot  say  that  I  had  an  immediate  sense  of  co- 
venant-interest in  that  glorious  promise :  yet  the 
impression  of  it  was  attended  with  a  satisfactory 
sweetness,  and  its  signification  was,  as  it  were, 
spontaneously  opened  to  me,  in  a  manner  too  clear 
and  pleasing  to  express.  It  seemed  to  me,  and  I 
can  find  no  reason  still  to  think  otherwise,  that  the 
passage  may  be  literally  rendered  "the  sacred" 
(that  is,  the  inviolable)  "  aiy:!  faithful  things  of  Da- 
vid :"  for,  why  may  not  the  word,  which  signifies 
holy,  just,  and  sacred,  have,  in  this  connexion,  the 


REV.  A.  M.   T  O  P  L  A  D  Y. 


193 


signification  of  inviolable  ;  and  denote  the  firmness, 
certainty,  and  perpetuity  of  those  spiritual  bless- 
ings, which  are  eiven  and  made  over  to  God's 
elect,  by  virtue  and  in  consequence  of  the  Father's 
covenant  of  grace  made  in  their  behalf  with  Christ, 
our  antitypical  David?  This,  at  least,  must  be 
granted ;  that  the  words,  as  they  lie  in  the  New 
Testament,  will  bear  the  translation  I  have  given: 
and  this  translation  and  sense  of  them  seem  exact- 
ly to  coincide  with  the  original  passage,  as  it  stands 
in  the  prophet,  from  whence  the  apostle  quoted  it. 

Sunday,  28. — The  Lord  was  witli  me  in  the 
discharge  of  my  ministry  both  parts  of  the  day ; 
especially  in  the  afternoon  at  Harpford.  O  my 
faithful  God,  bless  the  word  spoken! 

Wednesday,  March  2. — In  secret  prayer  this 
morning,  before  1  left  my  chamber,  the  fire  of  di- 
vine love  kindled,  and  the  Lord  sensibly  shone 
upon  my  soul.  I  could  not  forbear  saying,  "  O 
why  art  thou  so  kind  to  the  chief  of  sinners  ?" 
I  was  so  taken  up,  and  as  it  were  circumfused, 
with  the  love  of  God,  and  the  perception  of  my 
union  with  him,  that  I  could  hardly  ask  for  pardon. 
Thus  I  walked  in  the  light  of  his  countenance,  for, 
I  suppose,  two  or  three  minutes;  when,  alas!  evil 
wanderings  intervened,  my  warmth  of  joy  sudden- 
ly subsided,  and  I  was,  in  great  measure,  brought 
down  from  the  mount.  Yet  the  sweetness  and 
peace  of  this  heavenly  visit  remained,  after  the 
blessed  visitant  was  withdrawn.  Though  tlie  sun 
himself  retired  from  view,  yet,  if  I  may  so  express 
it,  I  enjoyed  the  refraction  of  his  beams.  He  did 
not  disappear  without  leaving  a  blessing  behind 
him;  sufficient,  I  trust,  for  faith  to  live  upon  until 
I  see  him  again. 

I  (Thursday,  3. — Upon  a  review  of  this  day,  in 
which  my  mind  has  been  variously  exercised,  I 
17 


194 


LIFE  OF 


have  great  reason  to  stand  astonished  at  my  own 
baseness ;  nor  less  so  at  the  several  instances  of 
mercy,  both  temporal  and  spiritual,  with  which 
God  has  favoured  me  since  I  awoke  this  morning. 
I  can,  through  grace,  adopt  David's  language,  and 
close  the  evening  with  his  sweet  hymn  of  thanks- 
giving: "Praise  the  Lord,  O  my  soul,  and  forget 
not  all  his  benefits :  who  forgiveth  all  thy  sin,  and 
healeth  all  thine  infirmities;  who  saveth  thy  life 
from  destruction,  and  crowneth  thee  with  loving- 
kindness  and  tender  mercies;  who  satisfies  thy 
mouth  with  good  things,"  the  good  things  of  his 
providence,  and  thy  heart  with  the  better  things  of 
his  grace;  "  making  thee  young  and  lusty  as  an 
eagle."  Psalm  ciii. 

Tuesday,  8. — Our  family  dining  early  to-day, 
Mr.  Harris,  of  Wellington,  and  myself  took  a  walk, 
about  two  in  the  afternoon,  to  the  top  of  Fen-Otte- 
ry  Hill.  Looking  round  from  thence,  I  observed 
to  him  how  plainly  we  could  see  the  two  churches, 
of  Harpford  and  Fen-Ottery,  in  the  vale  beneath 
us.  Perceiving,  however,  a  pillar  of  smoke  rising 
into  the  air,  at  a  little  distance  from  Harpford 
tower,  I  asked  my  companion,  "  What  he  thought 
it  was  ?"  He  replied,  "  I  suppose  they  are  burn- 
ing stubble."  Imagining  this  to  be  the  case,  we 
continued  our  walk  for,  I  believe,  full  three  hours, 
round  Ailsbear  Hill,  and  other  parts  of  the  com- 
mon. Coming,  at  last,  to  Micktam  in  our  circuit, 
we  called  on  old  farmer  Francke ;  and  were  hardly 
seated,  before  he  asked  us,  "  Whether  we  had 
heard  of  the  fire  at  Harpford?"  adding,  that,  "ac- 
cording to  the  best  of  what  his  eldest  son  could 
discern,  it  was  farmer  Endicott's  house  that  was 
burning."  The  wind  being  pretty  strong,  north- 
east by  east,  I  knew,  that,  if  it  was  Endicott's 
house,  or  any  of  the  adjoining  ones,  the  vicarage- 


REV.   A.   M.  TOPLADY. 


195 


house  and  offices  must  be  in  imminent  danger.  I 
posted  away  for  Harpford,  without  delay  ;  and, 
beinof  got  within  near  view  of  the  village,  plainly 
perceived  by  the  course  of  the  smoke,  that  the  vi- 
carage had  actually  taken  fire.  By  the  time  I  arri- 
ved at  the  wooden  bridge,  I  met  a  man  coming  to 
acquaint  me  with  what  had  happened:  upon  seeing 
me  he  saluted  me  with  "  Sir,  your  house  is  burnt 
down  to  the  ground."  Entering  the  village,  I 
found  it  almost  literally  true.  The  dwelling-house, 
the  barn,  the  stable,  &c.  with  the  back  house  rented 
by  John  Woodford  were,  as  it  were  by  sympathy, 
all  in  flames  at  once,  and  more  than  half  consumed. 
Thomas  Wilson's  house,  and  that  in  which  Henry 
Bishop  lately  lived,  from  which  latter  mine  caught 
fire,  were  totally  destroyed.  When  I  saw  the  vi- 
carage irrecoverably  lost,  I  returned  to  Fen-Ottery, 
and  took  horse  for  Exeter;  where  I  arrived  be- 
tween eight  and  nine  in  the  evening,  and  put  up  at 
Mr.  Lathbury's.  Being  fatigued  with  my  hasty 
ride,  I  thought  it  best  to  apprize  Mr.  Gearing, 
agent  for  the  London  Insurance  Office,  by  a  note, 
of  what  had  happened:  who,  in  his  answer,  de- 
sired to  see  me  next  morning. 

What  I  chiefly  enter  down  this  account  in  my 
diary  for,  is  this:  namely,  as  a  memento  of  God's 
great  goodness  to  me,  both  in  a  way  of  providence 
and  grace.  Though  I  was  not  certain  whether  the 
expense,  I  mean  all  above  the  insurance,  of  re- 
building the  vicarage-house,  with  its  appendages, 
might  not  eventually  fall  on  me,  notwithstanding 
my  resignation  of  the  living  last  January  23,  by 
Mr.  Luce's  probably  refusing,  in  consequence  of 
this  misfortune,  to  complete  our  projected  ex- 
change; yet  neither  the  report,  nor  the  sight  of 
this  alarming  visitation,  made  me  so  much  as 
change  countenance,  or  feel  the  least  dejection. 


196 


LIFE  OF 


This  could  not  proceed  from  nature;  for,  my 
nerves  are  naturally  so  weak,  that,  in  general,  the 
least  discomposing  accident  oversets  me  quite,  for 
a  time.  It  was  iherefoi'e  owing  to  the  supporting 
goodness  of  Uod,  who  made  me  experience  the 
truth  of  that  promise,  "  Thy  shoes  shall  be  iron 
and  brass ;  and  as  thy  days,  so  shall  thy  strength 
be."  Surely,  we  can  both  do  and  endure  all  things, 
through  Ciirist  enabling  us.  Had  any  one  told  me 
beforehand,  "  You  will  see  the  vicarage  all  in 
flames,  without  the  least  emotion  of  mind,"  I 
should  have  thought  it  impossible.  But  the  strength 
of  God  was  made  perfect  in  my  weakness;  and 
therefore  it  was  that  my  heart  stood  fast,  believing 
in  the  Lord.  O  may  thy  grace  be  ever  sufficient 
for  me  ! 

Spent  the  evening  not  only  in  a  comfortable, 
but  even  in  a  rejoicing  frame  of  mind ;  and  never 
rested  better  afterwards.  Thou,  Lord,  canst  make 
the  feeble,  as  David.  Thus,  the  8th  of  March 
was  a  day  to  be  particularly  noted,  not  in  my  book 
only,  but  in  my  latest  remembrance;  on  account  of 
that  wonderful  support  with  which  I  was  favoured: 
which  not  only  made  my  feet  as  hind's  feet,  and 
caused  me  to  walk  on  the  high  places  of  Jacob; 
but  which  even  bore  me  up,  as  on  eagles'  wings, 
above  the  reach  of  grief,  fear,  and  weakness;  and, 
as  it  were,  laid  me  at  rest  on  the  bosom  of  Christ, 
and  within  the  arms  of  God. 

Wednesday,  9. — Spent  about  an  hour  and  a  half 
with  good  Mr.  Holmes,  whom  I  found  in  great 
distress  of  mind,  on  account  of  his  only  surviving 
son  being  given  over  in  a  fever.  During  our  in- 
terview, God  so  opened  my  mouth,  and  so  enlarged 
my  heart,  that,  I  trust,  both  my  friend  and  myself 
found  our  spiritual  strength  renewed,  and  were 
sensibly  and  powerfully  comforted  from  above.  In 
the  evening  returned  to  Fen-Ottery. 


REV.   A.   M.  TOPLADY. 


197 


Thursday,  10. — Drinking  tea,  this  afternoon,  at 
farmer  Carter's,  I  had  an  opportunity  of  seeing 
more  leisurely,  the  devastation  at  Harpford.  The 
whole  vicarage  is  one  large  mass  of  ruins. 

Sunday,  20. — In  the  morning,  read  prayers  and 
preached  at  Harpford,  to  a  very  full  congregation: 
but  without  any  ray  of  sweetness  or  enlargement; 
at  least,  to  myself.  Between  morning  and  after- 
noon service,  I  was  much  dejected  and  bowed 
down  in  spirit.  I  was  so  far  left  to  the  doubtings 
and  evil  surmisings  of  my  own  unbelieving  heart, 
as  even  to  dread  the  remaining  public  duties  that 
lay  before  me.  But  the  glorious  Lord  was  better 
to  me  than  my  fears,  and  graciously  disappointed 
my  ungracious  misgivings:  for,  in  the  afternoon, 
he  was  with  me,  both  in  a  way  of  strength,  and  in 
a  way  of  consolation.  1  read  prayers  and  preached 
here  at  Fen-Ottery,  with  great  freedom,  and  con- 
siderable liveliness,  to  a  crowded  church. 

About  six  in  the  evening,  being  alone  in  my 
chamber,  I  was  still  more  sensibly  led  forth  beside 
the  waters  of  comfort.  I  tasted  some  sweet  drop- 
pings of  the  honeycomb,  and  could  say,  "  My 
Lord,  and  ray  God!"  The  embers  were  blown 
aside,  by  the  breath  of  the  Holy  Spirit;  the  veil  o 
unbelief  was  rent;  and  the  shadows  fled  away. 
Light  sprung  up,  and  the  fire  kindled;  even  the 
light  of  God's  countenance,  and  the  tire  of  his  love. 
Yet  my  comforts  did  not  amount  to  the  full  triumph 
and  ecstatic  bliss  I  have  sometimes  experienced; 
but  were  gentle,  peaceful,  and  serene:  attended 
with  a  mild,  refreshing,  lenient  warmth;  which 
melted  me  into  conscious  nothingness  before  God, 
and  made  me  feel  him  and  rest  upon  him  as  my 
all  in  all.  The  very  state  this  in  which,  if  it  be 
his  will,  I  could  wish  both  to  live  and  die:  for  I 
look  upon  such  a  placid  reception  of  his  gently 


198 


LIFE  OF 


pervading  influence,  where  all  is  soft,  and  sweet, 
and  still,  to  be  tiie  most  desirable  frame  of  soul  on 
this  side  heaven.  But  I  desire  to  leave  all  to  the 
disposal  of  Him  who  best  knows  how  to  deal  with 
his  militant  people;  and  who  will  be  sure  to  lead 
them  to  heaven  by  the  right  way,  and  me  among 
the  rest. 

Monday,  21. — Between  ten  and  eleven  at  night, 
in  my  chamber,  a  little  before  I  betook  myself  to 
rest,  the  Lord  favoured  me  with  some  gracious 
outgoings  of  afTeclion  toward  himself.  My  medita- 
tion of  him,  and  communion  with  him,  were  sweet ; 
and  the  intimations  of  his  love  to  me,  drew  forth 
my  love  to  him.  The  cherishing  south-wind  of  his 
loving  Spirit  breathed  upon  the  garden  of  my  soul, 
and  the  spices  thereof  flowed  out.  I  could  say, 
and  still  can,  "  Whom  have  I  in  heaven,  but  thee? 
and  there  is  none  upon  earth  that  I  desire  in  com- 
parison of  thee.  Come,  O  my  beloved,  into  thy 
garden,  and  eat  thy  pleasant  fruits  !"  Thus,  though 
aflfected  ever  since  the  afternoon  with  a  slight  head- 
ache, my  bodily  indisposition  was  more  tiian  com- 
pensated with  the  peace  that  passeth  all  under- 
standing; and  I  could  rejoice  in  the  sense  of  union 
with  Christ,  my  exalted  Head;  a  head,  that  is 
never  out  of  order. 

Thursday,  24. — In  the  afternoon,  the  Lord  gave 
me  this  word  of  comfort,  "  I  have  put  away  thy 
sin."  It  came  with  power,  and  I  was  enabled  to 
believe  the  testimony  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Towards 
evening,  I  was  in  a  very  comfortable  frame  of  soul, 
while  making  some  considerable  additions  to  my 
sermon  on  John  ii.  19.  How  greatly  do  these 
occasional  visits  from  above,  cheer  and  strengflien 
a  sinner  on  his  way  to  Zion !  Surely,  there  is  a 
river,  and  not  only  the  streams,  but  even  a  few 
drops  of  it,  make  glad  the  city  of  God. 


EEV.   A.   M.  TOPLADY. 


199 


Friday,  25. — This  afternoon  and  evening,  but 
especially  at  night,  the  Lord  has  been  very  gra- 
cious to  my  soul.  I  could  see  myself  loved  with 
an  everlasting  love,  and  clothed  with  Christ's  ever- 
lasting righteousness.  My  peace  flowed,  as  a  river ; 
and  I  found  the  comforts  of  the  Holy  Spirit  to  be 
neither  few  nor  small.  My  sense  of  justification 
was  unclouded,  as  when  the  clear  shining  of  the 
sun  giveth  light.  My  beloved  is  mine,  and  I  am 
his.  Under  these  sweet,  unutterable  manifestations, 
I  have  scarcely  any  thing  to  pray  for :  supplication 
is  swallowed  up  in  wonder,  love,  and  praise:  Jesus 
smiles,  and  more  than  a  ray  of  heaven  is  shed  upon 
my  soul.  "I  will  greatly  rejoice  in  the  Lord;  my 
soul  shall  be  joyful  in  my  God ;  for  he  hath  clothed 
me  with  the  garments  of  salvation,  he  hath  covered 
me  with  the  robe  of  righteousness,  as  a  bridegroom 
decketh  himself  with  ornaments,  and  as  a  bride 
adorneth  herself  with  her  jewels."  My  harp  is 
taken  down  from  the  willows,  and  I  can  sing  the 
Lord's  song  in  a  strange  land. 

Touch'd  by  tlie  finger  of  thy  love, 
Sweet  melody  of  praise  I  bring; 

Join  the  enraptur'd  choirs  above. 

And  feel  the  bliss  which  makes  them  sing. 

Saturday,  26. — A  letter  from  London  informs 
me,  that  poor  old  lady  Goring  is  lately  turned  pa- 
pist. Surely,  it  is  a  debt  I  owe  to  God,  to  truth, 
to  my  own  conscience,  and  to  the  friendship  with 
which  that  unhappy  lady  formerly  honoured  me, 
to  write  to  her  on  this  sad  occasion.  Lord,  keep 
me  steadfast  in  the  purity  of  thy  blessed  gospel, 
and,  if  it  please  thee,  recover  her  from  this  snare 
of  the  devil ! 

Was  indisposed,  great  part  of  this  day,  with  the 
head-ache :  but  enjoyed,  toward  evening,  a  measure 


200 


LIFE  OF 


of  the  peace  of  God.  At  night,  a  little  before  I 
went  to  bed,  the  Lord  was  pleased  to  give  me  a 
full  assurance  of  his  being  with  me  in  a  way  of 
grace  and  strength,  and  carrying  me  comfortably 
through  the  duties  of  the  ensuing  Sabbath.  I  could 
no  more  doubt  of  his  giving  me  a  Sabbath-day's 
blessing,  than  if  the  Sabbath  had  been  passed,  and 
the  blessing  actually  received. 

Sunday,  27. — Between  eight  and  nine  this  morn- 
ing, the  Lord  visited  my  soul  with  a  lively  sense  of 
his  salvation.  My  comfort,  joy,  and  triumph,  were 
unutterable  for  some  minutes ;  and  the  savour  of 
his  precious  ointment,  thus  divinely  shed  abroad 
in  my  heart,  abode  with  me,  more  or  less,  through 
the  course  of  the  whole  day.  In  the  morning,  my 
congregation  here  at  Fen-Ottery  was  very  full;  and 
I  was  enabled  to  read  prayers,  and  to  preach,  with 
more  inward  liberty  and  consolation  of  spirit,  than 
I  have  done  for  some  Sundays  back.  The  gospel 
ordinances  were  sweet  to  my  taste,  and  I  experi- 
enced that  animating  promise,  "  He  that  watereth, 
shall  be  watered  also  himself." 

In  the  afternoon,  read  prayers  and  preached  at 
Harpford,  to  a  congregation  indeed.  "  Behold  the 
Lamb  of  God,"  was  my  subject:  O  Lamb  of  God, 
cause  me,  and  those  who  heard  me  this  day,  to  be- 
hold thee,  here,  in  the  light  of  special  faith;  and 
hereafter,  in  the  light  of  endless  glory ! 

Though  I  have  a  violent  cold  upon  me,  with  a 
tendency  to  a  sore  throat,  yet  I  was  carried  through 
my  duties,  not  only  with  great  comfort,  but  with 
unusual  strength  of  body  and  voice.  A  worse 
church  to  speak  in,  I  never  knew,  than  Harpford; 
yet  I  am  confident,  I  was  well  heard  by  all  present; 
whose  number,  I  apprehend,  was  at  least  seven 
hundred :  which,  I  dare  believe,  I  should  not  have 
been,  considering  my  hoarseness  to-day,  had  not 


REV.    A.    sr.    T  O  r  L  A  D  Y. 


201 


my  soul  been  particularly  happy  in  the  Lord.  The 
sense  of  his  presence  givelh  power  to  tlie  faint,  and 
makes  men  act  beyond  themselves.  Under  the  in- 
fluence of  his  Spirit,  the  meanest  believer  becomes 
like  the  chariots  of  Amminadib,  and  goes  fortli  like 
a  giant  refreshed  with  wine:  the  places  of  God's 
worsiiip  are  each  a  banqueting-house;  and  the 
means  of  grace  are  so  many  mountains  of  spices. 

Tuesday,  29. — That  sweet  text,  "This  God  is 
our  God  for  ever  and  ever;  he  shall  be  our  guide 
even  unto  death;"  proved  a  cordial  to  my  soul  this 
morning.  Blessed  be  his  name,  I  could  adopt 
those  words  of  triumph,  and  still  can,  in  the  assur- 
ance of  faith.  I  am,  through  grace,  as  clearly  satis- 
fied of  my  interest  in  the  blessing  they  contain,  as 
if  they  were  addressed  to  me  by  name. 

I  remember  a  delightful  paraphrase  of  this  golden 
passage,  written  by  Mr.  Hart;  which  I  cannot  help 
putting  down  here ;  and  the  rather,  as  it  is  the  very 
language  of  my  soul  at  present: 

"  This  God  is  the  God  we  adore, 

Our  faithful  unchangeable  friend; 
Whose  love  is  as  great  as  his  pow'r  ; 

And  neither  knows  measure  nor  end. 
'Tis  Jesus,  the  first  and  the  last, 

Whose  Spirit  shall  guide  us  safe  home  ; 
We'll  praise  him,  for  all  that  is  past, 

And  trust  him,  for  all  that's  to  come." 

In  the  afternoon,  began,  and  about  half  finished, 
a  sermon  on  Phil.  ii.  8,  which,  if  the  Lord  please, 
I  hope  to  deliver  from  the  pulpit  next  Friday.  The 
Lord  has  already,  while  writing  it,  made  it  a  means 
of  grace  to  myself;  and  given  me  to  experience  the 
power  of  that  dying  love,  which  the  text  and  the 
preceding  context  so  sweetly  celebrate.  O  Lamb 
of  God,  slain  for  me,  thy  blood  is  balm,  ihy  pre- 
sence is  hliss,  thy  smile  is  heaven!   Through  thy 


202 


LIFE  OF 


precious  righteousness,  sinners  and  salvation  meet 
together.  Thou  hast  luiit  me  to  thyself  in  the 
bonds  of  an  everlasting  covenant,  which  shall  not 
be  forgotten  and  cannot  be  annulled.  Thou  hast 
set  me  as  a  seal  upon  thine  arm,  and  hast  set  the 
seal  of  thy  Spirit  upon  my  heart. 

April  1. — Good-Friday. — In  the  morning  read 
prayers,  preached,  and  administered  the  blessed 
sacrament  at  Harpford.  Both  in  the  pulpit  and  at 
the  Lord's  table,  my  joy,  consolation,  and  enlarge- 
ment of  soul  were  great:  and  I  think  I  never  saw 
communicants  more  humble,  serious,  and  devout. 
God's  presence  seemed  to  be  manifested  among  us 
in  a  very  uncommon  manner.  In  the  afternoon 
read  prayers  and  preached  here  at  Fen-Ottery ; 
and  the  glorious  majesty  of  the  Lord  our  God  was 
evidently  upon  speaker  and  hearers.  This  has 
been  a  Good-Friday  indeed  to  my  soul;  and  I 
dare  believe  to  the  souls  of  many  beside.  Lord 
make  the  sensible  unction  of  thy  Spirit  not  only 
to  descend  upon  us,  but  to  abide  with  us! 

Sunday,  3 — Easter  Sunday. — Rose  this  morning 
with  such  a  cold  and  hoarseness  in  my  voice,  that 
I  could  hardly  speak  either  audibly  or  intelligibly. 
Read  prayers,  however,  if  it  might  be  called  read- 
ing, here  at  Fen-Ottery,  and  administered  the  bles- 
sed sacrament :  but,  knowing  it  would  be  in  vain  to 
attempt  preaching,  ordered  the  clerk  to  make  an 
apology  to  the  congregation.  At  the  table  of  the 
Lord,  tlie  Lord  of  the  table  was  with  me  of  a  truth, 
and  made  my  soul  rejoice  amid  all  the  weakness  of 
my  body.  In  the  afternoon  rode  to  Harpford,  where 
after  reading  prayers  to  a  very  great  congregation, 
as  well  as  I  could,  which  was  very  badly,  I  was  in 
some  doubt  whether  I  had  best  attempt  to  preach 
or  not.  Considering,  however,  that  if  I  found  I 
could  not  make  myself  heard,  I  could  but  cease; 


REV.   A.   M.  T  O  P  L  A  D  Y.  203 


and  grieving  at  the  thought  of  sending  away  such  a 
multiuide  without  even  endeavouring  to  break  to 
them  the  word  of  life,  I  went  up  into  the  pulpit, 
and  besought  the  Lord  to  manifest  his  strength  in 
my  weakness:  and  he  graciously  did:  I  preached 
three-quarters  of  an  hour,  with  wonderful  strength 
and  unusual  enlargement  of  soul.  Awe  and  atten- 
tion were  visible  on  every  face.  I  was  enabled  to 
exert  myself  greatly,  and  to  pour  out  my  whole 
soul  in  the  ministry  of  the  word.  The  sense  of 
God's  presence,  together  with  the  sweetness  and 
dignity  of  the  subject  I  was  upon,  melted  me  so, 
that  I  think  I  was  nevermore  strongly  carried  out. 
Once  in  particular,  I  could  scarcely  refrain  from 
bursting  into  tears.  Hoarse  and  disagreeable  as  my 
voice  sounded,  yet  I  am  convinced  the  voice  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  made  its  way  to  many  hearts.  Indeed, 
all  were  struck,  if  there  is  any  judgment  to  be  form- 
ed by  appearances.  My  wonder  at  the  ability  with 
which  1  was  endued,  and  my  gratitude  to  the  bles- 
sed God,  for  the  comforts  that  were  experienced, 
will  hardly  suffer  me  to  desist  from  saying  more  of 
this  memorable  opportunity.  Lord,  who  would  not 
trust  thee?  Who  would  not  love  thee  ?  The  work, 
O  God,  was  thine;  and  thine  be  all  the  glory! 
Amen,  Amen. 

Wednesday,  G.  —  Tliis  afternoon,  about  two 
o'clock,  I  received  institution  at  Exeter,  to  the  liv- 
ing of  Broad-Hembury.  While  on  my  knees,  as 
the  chancellor  was  committing  the  souls  of  that 
parish  to  my  care,  my  own  soul  was  secretly  lifted 
up  to  God  for  a  blessing ;  which  I  humbly  trust  will 
be  given,  for  his  mercy's  sake  in  Jesus  Christ. 

Immediately  after  I  was  instituted  to  Broad-Hem- 
bury, Mr.  Luce  was  instituted  to  Harpford. 

Thursday,  7. — That  gracious  promise  was  given 
me  to-day,  "  I  will  inform  thee  and  teach  thee  in 


204 


LIFE  OP 


the  way  wherein  thou  shalt  go ;  and  I  will  guide 
thee  with  mine  eye."  I  had  been  previously  much 
dejected  in  spirit,  and  exercised  with  various  doubts, 
but  that  word  of  comfort  came  with  sucli  power 
and  effect,  tliat  I  was  soon  set  to  rights  again. 

Friday,  8. — Mr.  Luce  dining  here  to-day,  we 
walked  in  the  afternoon  to  Harpford,  where  I  in- 
ducted him  into  that  living.  In  the  course  of  this 
day  I  was  favoured  with  some  comfortable  glimpses 
of  my  heavenly  Father's  countenance.  O  that  I 
could  ever  have  a  heart  warm  with  love  !  But  it  is 
belter  to  catch  fire  now  and  then,  than  to  be  always 
cold.  Blessed  be  the  Comforter  of  God's  elect,  a 
live  coal  from  the  golden  altar  which  is  before  the 
throne,  is  sometimes  dropped  into  my  heart,  and 
then  I  can  sing, 

Lov'd  of  my  God,  for  him  again 

With  love  intense  I  burn  : 
Chosen  of  Thee  ere  time  began, 

I  chose  Thee  in  return. 

To  have  a  part  and  lot  in  God's  salvation  is  the 
main  thing:  but  to  have  the  joy  of  it,  is  an  addition- 
al blessing,  which  makes  our  way  to  the  kingdom 
smooth  and  sweet. 

Saturday,  9. — In  the  evening,  while  returning 
from  Broad-Hembury,  where  I  dined  to-day,  and 
at  night,  alter  my  return  hither  to  Fen-Ottery,  I 
had  the  comfort  of  sweet  communion  with  God, 
and  not  only  enjoyed  that  peace  whicii  the  world 
cannot  give,  but  was  favoured  with  some  delightful 
assurances  of  God's  everlasting  love  tome  a  sinner. 
I  was  like  what  is  said  of  Napiitali,  "  satisfied  with 
favour:"  even  with  the  favour  of  Him  whose  name 
is  as  ointment  poured  forth ;  whom  to  know  is  life 
eternal ;  and  whom  to  converse  with  is  heaven.  The 
Spirit  himself  bore  witness  with  my  spirit,  that  I 


REV.   A.   M.  T  O  P  L  A  D  T. 


205 


am  a  child  of  God,  and  a  joint-heir  with  Christ. 
Lord,  doubdess  thou  art  my  Father:  O  enable  me 
to  love  thee  as  such,  and  to  walk  worthy  of  my 
heavenly  pedigree ! 

Sunday,  10. — Did  duty  this  day  at  the  churches 
here,  for  I  suppose  the  last  time.  In  the  morning 
read  prayers  and  preached  at  Fen-Ottery ;  and  in 
the  ai'ternoon  read  prayers  and  preached  at  Harp- 
ford,  to  a  very  great  congregation.  At  the  latter 
church,  God  did  indeed  open  to  me  a  door  both  of 
knowledge  and  of  utterance  ;  insomuch  that  I  could 
not  possibly  confine  myself  to  my  notes,  but  was 
carried  out  with  extraordinary  enlargement,  readi- 
ness, and  presence  of  mind  ;  especially  while  speak- 
ing of  the  certain  perseverance  of  God's  regenerate 
people,  and  of  the  utter  impossibility  of  beingjus- 
tified  by  works.  I  did  not  take  any  leave  of  my 
dear  people.  Farewell  sermons,  in  my  opinion, 
carry  in  them  such  an  air  of  self-importance,  that 
I  have  long  resolved  never  to  preach  one  again. 
Let  me  rather  close  my  ministry  in  this  place  with 
— I.  Secretly  begging  pardon  of  God  to-night  for 
my  manifold  sins,  omissions,  and  infirmities,  both 
as  a  man  and  as  a  minister. — 2.  I  earnestly  intreat 
my  gracious  Lord  to  make  me  thankful  for  the  in- 
numerable mercies  I  have  experienced  since  I  had 
the  care  of  these  parishes  upon  me. — 3.  I  pray  God 
to  command  his  efficacious  blessing  on  my  weak, 
sinful,  and  unworthy  labours  here;  most  humbly 
beseeching  him  to  own  the  messages  of  salvation 
I  have  delivered  from  time  to  time,  and  to  grant  that 
the  seed  he  has  enabled  me  to  sow,  may  be  found 
after  many  days. — 4.  I  beg  him  to  stay  with  these 
that  stay,  and  to  go  with  me  when  I  go  from  them: 
that  his  presence  and  his  blessing  may  be  their  por- 
tion, my  portion,  and  the  portion  of  those  among 
whom  1  expect  shortly  to  minister.    O  thou  God 


206 


LIFE  OF 


of  power  and  of  grace,  all  hearts  are  in  thy  hand, 
and  all  events  are  at  thy  disposal !  Set,  O  set  the 
seal  of  thv  almighty  fiat  upon  each  of  these  peti- 
tions !  and  supply  all  our  need,  according  to  thy 
riches  in  glory  by  Christ  Jesus  !    Amen,  Amen. 

Tuesday,  12. — At  night  the  Lord  gave  me  to  ex- 
perience some  gracious  meltings  of  heart.  How 
sweet  are  the  humiliations  of  penitential  love !  I 
desire  no  greater  bliss  than  to  lie  at  my  heavenly 
Master's  foot-stool,  dissolved  in  wonder,  gratitude, 
and  self-abasement. 

Friday,  1 5. — Several  words  of  comfort  were  this 
day,  at  different  times,  spoken  to  and  sealed  upon 
my  heart :  particularly  these  three,  "  Fear  not,  I 
will  be  with  thee." — "Trust  me." — "I  will  up- 
hold thee  with  the  right-hand  of  my  righteousness." 
At  another  time  these  words  were  powerfully  sug- 
gested to  my  soul,  "  Be  joyful  in  the  Lord."  To 
many,  all  this  would  appear  as  the  most  palpable 
enthusiasm  ;  and  there  was  a  time  when  I  myself 
should  have  thought  so  too.  But,  blessed  be  God 
the  Comforter,  I  know  what  it  is  to  enjoy  some  de- 
gree of  communion  with  the  Father,  and  the  Son 
by  him.  And  exclusive  of  this  inward  elenchos, 
(proof)  which  is  to  myself  equivalent,  in  point  of 
mental  satisfaction,  to  ten  thousand  demonstrations, 
my  experiences  of  this  kind,  considered  even  in 
the  most  rational  view,  cannot,  I  am  well  persua- 
ded, be  justly  counted  enthusiastic,  or  the  offspring 
of  a  heated  imagination:  for — 1.  It  is  attended  with 
such  a  powerful  sweetness,  and  such  commanding 
weight,  such  satisfactory  clearness,  and  such  a  per- 
fect consistency  with  the  promises  of  Scripture,  as 
leave  me  no  cause  to  doubt  of  its  being  indeed  the 
voice  of  God  to  my  soul. — 2.  My  mind,  on  these 
occasions,  is  as  absolutely  passive,  as  my  body  can 
at  any  time  be  on  hearing  any  person  speak  with 


REV.   A.  M.  TOPLADY. 


207 


whom  I  converse. — 3.  I  argue  from  events.  I  can, 
to  the  best  of  my  remembrance  and  belief,  truly 
say,  that  I  never  yet  liave  had  one  promise  or  as- 
surance, concerning  temporal  things,  impressed  on 
me  beforehand  in  a  way  of  communion  with  God, 
which  tlie  event  did  not  realize  :  I  never,  that  I 
know  of,  knew  it  fail  in  any  one  single  instance.  I 
do  not  say,  that  a  particular  assurance,  concerning 
any  particular  futurity,  is  always  given  me  before- 
hand ;  far  from  it :  but  when  it  has,  two  unisons 
never  harmonized  more  exactly  than  my  assurance 
and  the  subsequent  providence.  And,  if  this  has 
hitherto  been  the  case  with  me  in  temporal  con- 
cerns and  matters  of  providence,  why  should  sim- 
ilar indulgences  from  above,  respecting  spiritual 
things  and  matters  of  grace,  be  treated  as  fanciful? 

At  night,  in  my  chamber,  the  Lord  gave  me 
several  solid  assurances  of  his  future  providential 
goodness  to  me.  I  was  enabled  to  know  the  voice 
of  Him  that  spake  within,  and  to  cast  the  anchor 
of  faith  on  what  he  said.  My  complacency  and 
satisfaction  of  soul  were  equally  comfortable  and 
utterable.  O  my  God,  that  which  thou  hast  pro- 
mised, thou  art  able  also  to  perform. 

Sunday,  17. — In  the  morning  read  prayers  and 
preached  at  Broad-Hembury  to  a  large  congre- 
gation. I  opened  (if  I  may  so  speak)  my  spi- 
ritual commission  by  discoursing  from  those  words, 
2  Cor.  iv.  5.  "  We  preach  not  ourselves,  but  Christ 
Jesus  the  Lord."  Great  was  my  reason  for  grati 
tude  and  thankfulness  to  the  gracious  Author  of  all 
good,  I  was  enabled,  both  parts  of  the  day,  to  go 
through  the  duties  of  it  with  much  satisfaction  and 
presence  of  mind ;  and  the  word  preached  seemed 
to  be  relished  by  many,  and  to  be  well  received  by 
all. 

In  the  evening  returned  to  Fen-Ottery,  where  I 


208 


LIFE  OF 


read  with  great  comfort  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost, 
Mr.  Harvey's  sermon  on  the  "  Way  of  Holiness." 
In  secret  prayer  too,  before  I  went  to  bed,  the  chan- 
nel of  comfortable  inlercourse  was  opened  between 
God  and  my  soul.  All  weakness  and  all  unwor- 
thiness  as  I  am,  I  have,  in  Christ,  both  righteous- 
ness and  strength:  and  God,  through  him,  is  my 
portion  for  ever.  In  his  favour  is  life ;  and  that 
life  is  mine. 

Saturday,  23. — After  dinner  rode  to  Broad-Hem- 
bury,  where,  at  night,  in  my  chamber,  a  little  be- 
fore I  went  to  bed,  my  soul  was  harassed  in  a  sad 
and  very  unusual  manner,  and  with  doubts  and 
fears  and  unbelief.  I  was  in  spiritual  darkness, 
even  darkness  that  might  be  felt.  I  do  not  know 
that  I  ever  was  so  much  given  up  to  the  evil  sur- 
misings  of  my  own  heart,  since  I  have  been  in 
orders.  I  could  hardly  act  faith  at  all.  Had  it 
not  been  for  fear  of  exposing  myself  and  disturb- 
ing the  family,  I  should  have  roared  for  the  dis- 
quietiiess  of  my  heart.  My  heavenly  Pilot  disap- 
peared ;  I  seemed  to  have  quite  lost  my  hold  on 
the  Rock  of  ages;  I  sunk  in  the  deep  mire,  and  the 
waves  and  storms  went  over  me.  Yet,  at  last,  in 
prayer,  I  was  enabled,  I  know  not  how,  to  throw 
myself,  absolutely  and  at  large  on  God,  at  all 
events,  for  better  and  for  worse  ;  yet  without  com- 
fort and  almost  without  hope.  I  was,  in  short,  al- 
most in  a  state  of  despair.  My  horror  and  distress 
were  unutterable.  And  in  this  condition  I  remain- 
ed, until  it  pleased  God  to  give  me  some  sleep. 

Sunday,  24. — When  I  awoke  this  morning,  I 
had  peace  of  soul,  and  a  considerable  measure  of 
confidence  in  God.  Read  prayers  and  preached 
with  strength  of  body  and  enlargement  of  mind. — 
Afier  my  return  from  public  morning  service,  my 
consolations  from  above  were  inexpressible.  Hea- 


B  E  V.    A,    M.    TO  PL  AD  Y. 


209 


viness  did  indeed  endure  for  a  night;  but  joy  came 
in  the  mdming.  My  soul  could  amgniry  the  Lord, 
and  my  spirit  rejoiced  in  God  my  Saviour.  Read 
bishop  Wilkins's  Preacher  with  great  approbation 
and  [jlea-^hre,  and  not  without  improvement.  In 
the  afternoon  read  prayers  and  preaclicd  to  a  very 
large  congregation;  and  God  was  with  me  of  a 
truth.  My  own  soul  was  ricldy  watered,  and 
there  seemed  to  be  showers  of  blessing  all  around. 
I  never  preached  so  much  extempore  in  my  life 
before.  My  whole  introduction  was  off-hand:  nor 
did  I  ever  express  myself  more  freely,  pertinently, 
and  to  my  own  satisfaction.  My  text,  both  parts 
of  the  day.  Psalm  xxxii.  1.  Oh  what  infinite 
amends  has  God  made  me  for  the  distresses  of  last 
night!  Might  I  choose  for  myself,  which,  how- 
ever, I  am  not  qualified  for,  nor  yet  desirous  of 
doing,  I  should  hardly,  I  think,  care  how  much 
God  liumbled  me  in  private  before  him,  so  1  might 
but  enjoy  his  presence  and  blessing  in  the  discharge 
of  my  public  duties. 

What  a  day  has  this  been!  A  Sabbath-day  in- 
deed; a  day  of  feasting  to  my  soul;  a  day  of  tri- 
umph and  rejoicing.  He  brought  me  into  his 
banqueting-house,  and  his  banner  over  me  was 
love.  1  never  was  more  assisted  from  above  than 
this  afternoon  ;  very  seldom  so  much.  Lord,  bless 
the  people,  as  thou  hast  blessed  me ! 

Here  let  me  leave  it  on  thankful  record,  for  my 
comfort  and  support,  if  it  please  God,  in  future 
times  of  trial  and  desertion,  that  I  riever  was  lower 
in  the  valley  than  last  night,  nor  higher  on  the 
mount  than  to-day.  The  Lord  chastened  me,  but 
did  not  give  me  over  unto  death :  and  he  never 
will.  He  may,  indeed,  for  a  small  moment,  hide 
his  face  from  me:  but  with  everlasting  kindness 
will  he  have  mercy  on  me. 

18 


210 


LIFE  OF 


Thursday,  5. — My  honoured  and  most  dear 
mother's  bu-lh-day.  Gracious  God,  crown  her  in- 
estimable life  with  many  years  to  come;  and  crown 
each  year  with  additional  grace  and  redoubled  hap- 
piness !  Afier  dinner,  removed  for  good,  from  Fen- 
Ottery  to  Broad-Hembury  ;  where,  being  arrived, 
I  spent  the  evening  in  a  comfortable  frame  of  soul, 
humbly  trusting  that  the  God  and  guide  of  my  life, 
who  fixeth  tiie  bounds  of  our  habitations  below, 
will,  himself,  vouchsafe  to  be  the  dwelling-place 
of  my  soul  here  and  ever.  At  niglit  there  was 
some  thunder,  during  which  especially,  I  was  fa- 
voured with  a  sweetly  awful  sense  of  God's  majes- 
ty and  love.  How  iiappy,  0  Lord,  is  the  soul, 
which  is  enabled  to  wrap  itself  in  thee! 

Sunday,  15. — In  the  morning  rode  to  Sheldon, 
where  I  read  prayers  and  preached  to  a  very  atten- 
tive congregation:  a  small  church,  but  well  filled. 
After  service,  returned  home  to  Broad-Hembury; 
where,  in  the  afternoon,  I  read  prayers  and  preach- 
ed to  a  great  auditory ;  and  the  Lord  was  with  me 
in  an  especial  manner.  Spent  the  evening  very 
comfortably  and  profitably  in  writing  part  of  a  ser- 
mon. At  night,  those  words  dwelt  much  upon  my 
mind,  and  were  greatly  blessed  to  me,  "  The  Lord 
is  my  portion,  saith  my  soul:"  through  the  influ- 
ence of  his  good  Spirit,  I  could  see  and  rejoice  in 
God  as  my  portion  indeed. 

Sunday,  22. — Whitsunday.  —  In  the  morning 
read  prayers,  preached,  and  administered  the  holy 
sacrament  to  thirty-six  communicants.  In  the  af- 
ternoon read  prayers  and  preached  to  a  very  large 
congregation.  I  trust  the  ordinances  were  blest  to 
some;  but  as  to  myself,  I  can  only  say,  that  I  went 
through  the  duties  of  the  day  with  strength,  ease, 
and  presence  of  mind.  I  desire  to  be  thankful  for 
this  :  yet  am  grieved  that  I  was  not  more  fervent  in 


REV.    A.    M.  TOPLADY, 


211 


spirit,  and  higher  on  the  mount  of  divine  love.  I 
couid  ever  wisii  to  be — 

"  Like  the  rapt  seraph  that  adores  and  burns." 

Fain  would  I  mount,  fain  would  I  glow, 

And  loose  my  cable  from  below; 

But  I  can  only  spread  my  sail, 

Thou,  thou  must  breathe  th'  auspicious  gale. 

Friday,  27.  —  Notwithstanding  my  aggravated 
sinfulness  and  my  absohite  unworlhiness,  God 
gave  me,  this  night,  to  drink  of  his  consolations, 
as  from  a  river.  "  Pardon  and  sanctitication," 
was  my  prayer:  "  Mercy,  pardon  and  salvation," 
was  the  gracious  answer. 

Saturday,  28. — This  evening  I  was  enabled  to 
rejoice  in  spirit.  God  gave  me  not  only  a  good 
hope  in  his  grace,  but  the  assurance  of  faith.  Fin- 
ished a  sermon  on  Rev.  ii.  17.  I  do  tliink,  and 
trust  that  I  can  say,  that  text  is  verified  in  me,  even 
me  a  sinner.  Through  the  blood  ol'  the  Lamb,  I 
believe  that  I  shall  overcome:  I  am  ofien  fed  with 
the  hidden  manna  of  communion  with  God ;  there 
are  times  when  I  can  set  to  my  seal,  that  the  white 
stone  of  absolution  and  justification  is  mine;  and 
that  I  have  the  new  name,  the  privilege  of  adoption 
into  the  invisible  family  of  God:  the  consciousness 
of  which  is  attended  with  such  comfort  as  is  only 
known  to  them  that  receive  it.  To  Father,  Son 
and  Spirit,  be  all  the  glory ! 

Sunday,  29. — Read  prayers  and  preached,  morn- 
ing and  afternoon,  to  a  much  larger  congregation, 
both  times,  than  I  expected,  considering  tiie  wet- 
ness of  the  weather.  God  has  watered  the  earth 
to-day,  with  his  rain,  which  has  been,  for  some 
time,  greatly  wanted ;  but  the  spiritual  shower  of 
divine  love  did  not  descend  upon  my  soul  until  I 
retired  to  my  study,  this  evening,  after  family  pray- 


212 


LIFE  OF 


er.  I  had  tlien  some  short,  but  comfortable  inter- 
course with  God.  An  observation  which  I  met 
with  to-day,  in  reading  Downame's  "  Christian 
Warfare,"  strucl<:  me  much:  speaking  of  the  Holy- 
Spirit  as  the  sealer  of  the  elect,  he  asks,  "  How  is 
it  possible  to  receive  the  seal,  without  feeling  the 
impression?"  O  that  I  might  feel  it  more  and 
more ! 

June  5.  Sunday. — This  morning  I  read  prayers 
and  preaclied  to  a  large  congregation ;  and  in  the 
afternoon  to  a  very  large  one.  My  God  was  pres- 
ent with  me  both  times;  and,  I  trust,  I  have  reason 
to  hope  that  my  labour  was  not  in  vain  in  the  Lord. 
Visited  and  prayed  with  farmer  William  Taylor, 
twice  lo-day.  The  first  time,  particularly,  1  had 
great  freedom  of  speech  in  conversing  with  him  on 
spiritual  matters.  He  has,  probably,  not  many 
days  to  live;  and,  I  would  hope,  is  not  without 
some  sense  of  divine  things.  Visited  also  and 
prayed  with  Edward  Granger,  a  very  ignorant  per- 
son, and  full  of  what  are  called  good  resolutions,  if 
God  should  restore  him  again  to  health.  It  is  a 
melancholy  thing  that,  in  a  protestant  country,  a 
minister  should  have  so  much  ignorance  to  combat 
with  in  most  of  the  common  people.  I  thank  thee, 
Holy  Father,  if  I  am,  in  any  measure,  enlightened 
into  the  knowledge  of  thee ;  and  beseech  thee  to 
make  me  an  instrument  in  thy  hand  of  giving  light 
to  others,  so  far  as  my  little  sphere  extends.  Was, 
through  grace,  very  comfortable  in  my  own  soul, 
several  times  this  day. 

Thursday,  9. — In  the  morning,  visited  and  pray- 
ed with  farmer  William  Taylor.  One  thing  which 
he  said,  I  took  notice  of  with  satisfaction;  his 
words  were,  "  My  pains  are  nothing  to  my  hopes." 
Dined  and  drank  lea  at  Grange.  At  night,  after 
my  return  from  thence,  I  was  happy  in  the  Lord. 


REV.    A.   M,   TO  PL  A  DT.  213 


I  was  enabled,  from  a  sense  of  interest  in  Christ, 
to  sing  tliose  sweet  lines, 

"  Jesus,  thou  art  my  righteousness,"  &c. 

Sunday,  12. — Read  prayers  and  preached  morn- 
ing and  afternoon.  Might  I  judge  of  what  others 
felt,  by  the  comfortable  enlargement  I  experienced 
myself,  both  parts  of  the  day,  I  should  trust  that 
the  arm  of  the  Lord  was  revealed.  The  afternoon 
audience  was  very  great:  and  God  was  with  me 
of  a  truth.  A  door  of  knowledge  and  of  utterance 
was  opened  to  me:  and  I  humbly  hope  God  open- 
ed to  himself  a  door  into  the  hearts  of  some  that 
heard.  I  cannot  forbear  observing,  that  last  night 
and  to-day,  the  liOrd  gave  me  some  special  assur- 
ances of  his  being  with  me  in  the  discharge  of  ihe 
public  duties  of  this  Sabbath;  and  his  gracious  in- 
timations were  verified  indeed.  The  promises  of 
man  frequently  exceed  the  performance;  but  God's 
performance  exceeds  even  his  promises. 

Saturday,  18. — All  day  at  home.  Wrote  several 
hymns;  and  while  writing  that  which  begins  thus: 
"  When  faith's  alert,  and  hope  shines  clear,"  &c. 
I  was,  through  grace,  very  comfortable  in  my  soul; 
so,  indeed,  1  have  been  the  whole  day.  Read 
bishop  Hopkins's  Works,  which  were  sent  me 
from  Exeter  yesterday,  with  much  spiritual  im- 
provement. From  morning  until  now,  that  is, 
until  eleven  at  night,  I  have  enjoyed  a  continual 
feast  within.  Christ  has  been  unspeakably  pre- 
cious to  my  heart,  and  the  blessed  spirit  of  God  has 
visited  me  wilh  sweet  and  reviving  manifestations. 
Temptations  of  a  particular  kind  beset  me  more 
than  once;  but  the  Lord  lifted  up  his  standard,  and 
I  fell  not;  the  gates  of  hell  attacked  me,  but  did 
not  prevail  against  the  grace  of  God  which  was 
wilh  me.    Glory  be  to  God  on  high,  who  spreads 


214 


LIFE  OF 


a  table  for  me  in  the  wilderness,  makino;  me  to 
banquet  on  iiis  love,  and  who  has  caused  my  cup 
of  joy  to  overflow  this  day.  Yea,  and  I  shall  dwell 
in  the  house  of  the  Lord,  and  be  myself  his  house 
for  ever. 

Sunday  19. — Though  somewhat  out  of  order  in 
the  morning,  God  carried  me  well  through  the  du- 
ties of  the  day.  Read  prayers  and  preached  twice, 
as  usual.  In  the  afternoon  the  congregation  was 
very  large.  This  has  not  been  such  a  rejoicing 
day  to  my  own  soul  as  yesterday  was ;  but  I  trust 
the  word  preached  was  not  powerless  allogether. 
Yet  this,  I  fear,  I  can  truly  say,  that  my  lot  has 
never  hitherto  been  cast  among  a  people  so  gene- 
rally ignorant  of  divine  things,  and  so  totally  dead 
to  God.  I  know  of  but  three  persons,  in  all  this 
large  and  populous  parish,  on  whom  I  have  solid 
reason  to  trust  a  work  of  saving  grace  is  begun. 
But  this  I  verily  believe,  that  if  God  had  not  some 
elect  souls  to  call,  he  would  not  have  sent  me  hither. 
When  vicar  of  Karpford,  I  laboured  among  that 
people  for  a  great  part  of  two  years,  before  1  could 
perceive  a  sensible  out-pouring  of  God's  Holy  Spi- 
rit upon  them;  and  yet,  before  I  left  them,  God 
seemed  to  have  owned  my  ministry  in  a  very  great 
and  unexpected  manner.  Lord,  grant,  if  it  please 
thee,  that  I  may  have  the  same  consolation  here! 

Wednesday,  22. — Calling  on  Mrs.  Hutchins  this 
evening,  I  found  Joan  Venn  there,  from  whom  I 
had  the  comfort  of  hearing  that  my  unworthy  mi- 
nistry has,  in  general,  been  attended  with  great 
power  to  her  soul:  but,  above  all,  on  the  24th  of 
last  April,  in  the  afternoon,  under  that  sermon  from 
Psalm  xxxii.  1.  Lord,  carry  on  thy  work  in  her 
soul  and  mine,  to  the  day  of  Christ! 

Friday,  24. — Visited  and  prayed  with  Sarah 
Granger.    In  the  evening,  had  a  very  comfortable 


REV.  A.  M.  TOPLADY. 


215 


interview  witli  old  farmer  William  Taylor,  who, 
thousrh  better  than  I  ever  expected  to  see  him,  is 
not,  in  all  probability,  far  from  the  invisible  world. 
God  enabled  me  to  pray  with  him  extempore; 
and  I  never  yet  saw  him  so  affected.  If  the  Lord 
gives  ability,  I  think  to  lay  aside  forms  of  prayer 
in  my  future  attendance  on  the  sick.  I  generally 
find,  that  prayer  on  these  occasions,  offered  up  as 
God  gives  utterance,  is  more  blest  to  the  souls  I 
attend  upon,  as  well  as  to  my  own.  Lord,  may 
thy  good  Spirit,  which  maketh  intercession  in  thy 
saints,  be  ever  present  with  me,  to  help  my  infir- 
mities, and  teach  me  to  pray  as  I  ought.  There 
are,  certainly,  particular  exigencies  and  cases, 
which  few,  if  any  prescribed  form  can  reach.  With 
regard  to  this,  and  every  other  part  of  my  duty  as 
a  minister,  my  help  standeth  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord,  who  hath  made  heaven  and  earth.  I  only 
wish  that  my  natural  diffidence  was  less,  and  my 
faith  greater. 

Sunday,  26. — A  sabbath  of  joy  and  blessing. 
Was  somewhat  cast  down  last  niglit  and  early  this 
morning,  at  the  prospect  of  the  public  duties  lying 
before  me,  as  1  have  been,  for  some  days  past, 
troubled  with  a  cough,  which  grows  upon  me  more 
and  more.  But  God  heard  my  petitions,  and  was 
belter  to  me  than  my  expectations.  I  read  prayers 
and  preached  in  the  morning  to  a  large  congrega- 
tion, and  in  the  afternoon  to  an  exceedingly  full 
one,  with  unusual  freedom  of  utterance  and  strength 
of  body  both  times.  After  morning  service  visited 
and  prayed  with  Sarah  Granger.  In  prayer,  she 
was  quite  melted  down,  and  wept  greatly.  God 
gave  me  both  words  and  matter  suitable  to  her  case. 
In  the  evening  visited  and  prayed  with  farmer  Wil- 
liam Taylor:  and  on  this  occasion,  too,  I  was  en- 
abled to  pray  with  much  liberty  of  speech  and 
comfort  to  myself. 


216 


LIFE  OP 


Tuesday,  28. — In  iny  way  to  Grange,  where  I 
dined  and  spent  the  evening,  visited  Sarah  Gran- 
ger. I  found  her  surrounded  wiih  weeping  friends 
and  relatives,  and  herself  little  more  than  alive,  in 
point  of  bodily  strength,  but  perfectly  sensible. 
My  mouth  was  opened  to  speak  much  and  perti- 
nently to  her  case :  and  the  Lord  gave  me  very 
great  freedom,  enlargement,  and  warmth  in  prayer. 
I  hope  it  was  made  a  season  of  blessing  both  to 
her  and  to  those  who  were  present,  as,  through 
grace,  it  was  to  myself.  She  strongly,  and  in  a 
most  affecting  manner,  requested  me  to  have  an  eye 
over  her  children  when  she  was  dead  and  gone, 
and  to  do  what  I  could  in  furthering  them  in  the 
way  to  the  kingdom  of  God.  I  assured  her  that 
nothing  in  my  power  should  be  wanting,  if  I  lived, 
which  might  conduce  to  their  spiritual  or  temporal 
welfare. 

Friday,  July  1. — Drinking  tea  this  afternoon,  at 
Priory,  we  were  surprised  with  a  very  unexpected 
storm  of  rain,  thunder,  and  lightning.  The  flashes 
were  so  frequent,  and  so  very  violent,  that  Mrs. 
Sydenham  proposed  shutting  the  windows,  letting 
down  the  curtains,  and  having  candles  brought  in, 
which  was  done  accordingly.  I  dropt  an  intima- 
tion of  my  readiness  to  go  to  prayer :  but  the  hint 
was  not  accepted.  After  about  two  hours,  the 
weather  being  fair  again,  I  took  that  opportunity 
of  returning  hoine  to  Broad-Hembury.  On  my 
way  the  thunder  and  lightning  were  renewed ;  but 
there  being  no  rain,  I  kept  on:  and,  blessed  be 
God's  good  providence,  arrived  safe  at  the  vicarage. 
The  Lord  preserved  me  from  a  slavish  fear:  but  I 
felt  a  very  desirable  awe  on  my  mind,  even  such  as 
I  would  always  wish  to  feel  on  such  a  command- 
ing occasion.  I  conversed  much  with  God  in  men- 
tal prayer,  and  desire  to  bless  his  name,  that  the 


REV.  A.   M.  TOPIADY.  217 


awful  manifestations  of  his  power  were  not  com- 
missioned either  to  hurt  or  destroy.  I  have  heard 
much  louder  thunder,  but  never,  I  believe,  saw 
such  prodigious  lightning,  except  my  being  more 
exposed  to  it  than  I  ever  was  before,  made  me 
think  so.  Thou,  O  Lord,  commandest  the  waters; 
it  is  the  glorious  God  who  maketh  the  thunder: 
and,  adored  be  the  riches  of  thy  mercy,  it  was  thou 
who  didst  bid  the  lightnings  alarm,  but  prohibit 
them  to  strike.  O  take  me  and  seal  me  thine  for 
ever ! 

Sunday,  3. — Early  this  morning  took  horse  for 
Fen-Ottery,  where,  being  arrived,  I  went  to  cap- 
tain Penney's.  After  being  with  him  about  half 
an  hour,  we  walked  to  church.  If  I  might  judge 
by  the  tears  which  some  shed,  under  tlie  word 
preached,  (and,  indeed,  I  myself  did  with  great 
difficulty  refrain  from  weeping  towards  the  conclu- 
sion,) the  message  of  salvation  seemed  to  be  at- 
tended with  power.  After  dinner,  rode  to  Harp- 
ford,  where  I  read  prayers  and  preached  to  a  very 
great  congregation.  Though  my  cough  was  some- 
what troublesome  at  intervals,  I  detained  my  old 
audience  for  fifty  minutes,  and  great  was  my 
strength  of  voice  and  fervour  of  spirit,  nor  less 
their  attention. 

Upon  a  retrospective  view  of  this  Lord's  day,  I 
find  abundant  reason  to  adore,  admire,  and  praise 
the  goodness  of  God.  Mr.  Luce's  being  at  Ply- 
mouth, rendered  it  necessary  for  me,  as  a  friend, 
to  assist  him,  by  officiating  at  his  churches :  and 
the  Lord  has  been  very  gracious  to  me  in  my  un- 
worthy ministrations.  I  have  had,  also,  the  addi- 
tional satisfaction  of  delivering  the  tidings  of  peace 
and  salvation  to  a  people  of  whom  I  had  lately  the 
charge,  and  whom  I  affectionately  love  in  the  Lord. 
19 


218 


LIFE  OF 


Thou  God  of  all  ^race,  command  thy  omnipotent 
blessing  on  what  they  have  heard! 

Saturday,  9. — The  merciful  and  gracious  Lord 
was  sensibly  with  me  the  latter  part  of  to-day. 
"  Awake  and  sing,"  and,  presently  after,  "  Arise 
and  shine,"  were  spoken  to  my  soul,  from  above, 
with  power  and  sweetness. 

Late  at  night,  God  was  again  pleased  to  give  me 
some  pledge  of  a  Sabbath-day's  blessing  to-morrow. 
Such  comfortable  and  peremptory  convictions  of 
God's  future  presence  and  support  on  a  succeeding 
Sunday,  with  which  I  have  been  so  often  favoured 
beforehand,  I  intend,  henceforth,  as  often  as  God 
is  pleased  to  grant  them,  to  distinguish  by  the 
name  of  Saturday-assurances.  Assurances  they  are 
indeed :  so  clear,  positive,  and  satisfactory.  I  never 
knew  them  once  fail,  or  deceive  my  trust.  I  have 
often  been  dejected  and  fearful,  at  the  approach  of 
a  Sabbath  on  which  I  was  to  minister  publicly; 
and  God  has  frequendy,  not  to  say  generally,  been 
better  to  me  than  my  unbelieving  fears  ;  but,  on 
those  happy  days  (and,  blessed  be  his  name,  they 
have,  of  late  especially,  been  very  many)  when 
previous  assurances  have  been  given  me  of  his 
help  and  presence  on  the  Sunday  following,  those 
assurances  have  always  been  made  good.  The 
Lord  has  often  disappointed  my  doubts,  and  the 
evil  surmisiiigs  of  unbelief ;  but  he  never  once  dis- 
appointed my  hope,  when  he  has  said  previously 
to  my  soul,  "  I  will  be  with  thee." 

Sunday,  10. — God  has  made  this  a  comfortable 
Sabbath  indeed.  In  the  morning  read  prayers  and 
preaclied  to  a  considerable  congregation ;  and,  in 
the  afternoon,  to  an  exceedingly  great  one :  with 
great  readiness,  strength,  and  presence  of  mind, 
each  lime.  In  the  evening,  God  delivered  me  out 
of  a  grievous  temptation,  and  saved  me  from  falling 


REV,   A.  M.  T  O  P  L  A  D  Y. 


219 


by  it.  Visited  and  prayed  with  iSarah  Granger.  I 
was  heartily  glad  to  find  tliat  the  Lord  has  made 
her  sensible  of  the  deceitfuiness  of  her  heart.  Her 
fears  that  slie  is  not  sincerely  earnest  in  seeking 
God,  and,  to  use  her  own  expression,  her  "  long- 
ings after  the  Lord  Jesus."  are  to  me  favourable 
signs  of  her  being  so.  In  praying  with  her,  God 
gave  me  enlargement  of  mind,  and  great  freedom 
of  speech.  Visited  old  Mrs.  Hutehins,  who  longs 
for  the  assurance  of  faith,  but  whose  fear  of  death 
rather  increases  than  abates:  I  was  enabled  to 
speak  a  word  in  season,  and  trust  it  was  notwIioUy 
in  vain  in  the  Lord.  At  night  read  Polhill's  Trea- 
tise, late  the  property  of  the  excellent  Mr.  Pearsall, 
entitled,  "  Precious  Faith."  It  is  a  precious  book, 
and  on  a  precious  subject. 

Sunday,  17. — In  the  morning,  read  prayers  and 
preached;  but  not  with  that  sensible  comfort  which 
I  sometimes  enjoy.  In  the  afternoon,  Mr.  Savery 
was  so  kind  as  to  read  prayers  and  preach  in  my 
stead.  My  cough  was  rather  troublesome  to  day. 
After  evening  service,  I  was  much  cheered  and  re- 
freshed in  soul,  while  reading  Mr.  Erskine's  ser- 
mon, entitled,  "  Faith's  Plea  on  God's  Word  and 
Covenant." 

Sunday,  31. — Read  prayers  and  preached  both 
morning  and  afternoon,  with  strength  and  some 
liveliness,  but  with  little  spiritual  joy. 

At  night,  was  visited  with  some  tastes  of  com- 
fort, and  with  the  sweet  rays  of  my  heavenly  Fa- 
ther's countenance,  in  reading  Erskine's  sermons. 
Read  likewise,  not  without  sensible  improvement, 
some  part  of  the  acts  of  the  synod  of  Dort:  par- 
ticularly, the  judgment  of  the  British  divines,  "  Of 
the  Perseverance  of  Saints." 

Monday,  8. — I  cannot  help  noting,  to  my  shame, 
and  as  a  mark  of  my  exceeding  depravity,  that, 


220 


LIFE  OP 


after  all  the  Lord's  Sabbath-day's  mercies  to  me 
yesterday,  I  was  never,  that  I  know  of,  more  cold, 
lifeless,  and  wandering,  than  I  was  in  secret  prayer 
last  night,  just  before  going  to  bed.  Pardon,  dear- 
est Lord,  my  want  of  love  !  Alas  !  if  I  loved  thee 
more,  I  should  serve  thee  better.  During  the 
course  of  the  present  day,  God  gave  me  some  very 
humbling  and  instructing  views  of  myself.  Ab- 
stracted from  special  efficacious  grace,  nothingness 
(or,  if  any  thing,  utter  sinfulness)  may  be  written 
on  all  I  have,  and  am,  and  do.  I31essed  be  God, 
that  I  have  some  ground  to  hope  myself  interested 
in  a  better  righteousness  than  my  own  ! 

Thursday,  18. — At  Exeter,  to-day,  I  spent  some 
time  with  that  excellent  Christian,  good  old  Mr. 
Brewer:  and,  in  the  course  of  our  conversation,  I 
experienced  much  of  the  divine  presence.  Among 
other  matters,  he  mentioned  some  particulars,  spo- 
ken in  a  charge  lately  given  at  the  ordination  of  a 
young  dissenting  minister,  which  I  put  down  here, 
as  they  are  too  good  to  be  lost.  "  I  cannot  con- 
clude," said  the  old  ambassador  of  Christ,  "  without 
reminding  you,  my  young  brother,  of  some  things 
that  may  be  of  use  to  you,  in  the  course  of  your 
ministry.  1.  Preach  Christ  crucified,  and  dwell 
chiefly  on  the  blessings  resulting  from  his  right- 
eousness, atonement,  and  intercession.  2.  Avoid 
all  needless  controversies  in  the  pulpit;  except  it 
be,  when  your  suliject  necessarily  requires  it;  or 
when  the  truths  of  God  are  likely  to  suffer  by  your 
silence.  3.  When  you  ascend  the  pulpit,  leave 
your  learning  behind  you:  endeavour  to  preach 
more  to  the  hearts  of  your  people  than  to  their 
heads.  4.  Do  not  aflect  too  much  oratory.  Seek 
rather  to  profit,  than  to  be  admired." 

Sunday,  28. — Read  prayers  and  preached  both 
parts  of  the  day,  with  uncommon  strength  of  body, 


REV.   A.   M.  TOPLADY. 


221 


and  with  vast  enlargement  of  soul.  Between  morn- 
ing and  afternoon  service,  being  in  my  study,  and 
comfortably  engaged  in  secret  prayer,  the  Lord 
visited  me  with  a  refreshing  shower  of  divine  love, 
so  that  my  soul  was  like  a  watered  garden.  I 
never  felt  so  intense  a  desire  to  be  useful  to  the 
souls  of  my  people;  my  heart  was  expanded,  and 
burnt  with  zeal  for  the  glory  of  God,  and  for  the 
spiritual  welfare  of  my  flock.  I  wished  to  spend 
and  be  spent  in  the  ministry  of  the  word  ;  and  had 
some  gracious  assurances  from  on  high,  that  God 
would  make  use  of  me  to  diffuse  his  gospel,  and 
call  in  some  of  his  chosen  that  are  yet  unconverted. 
In  the  afternoon  the  congregation  was  exceedingly 
great  indeed.  I  was  all  on  fire  for  God,  and  the 
fire,  I  verily  believe,  caught  from  heart  to  heart.  I 
am  astonished  when  I  review  tlie  blessings  of  this 
Lord's  day.  That  a  sinner  so  vile,  so  feeble,  so  ill, 
and  so  hell-deserving,  should  be  thus  powerfully 
carried  beyond  himself,  and  be  enabled  to  preach 
with  such  demonstration  of  the  Spirit.  Unto  me, 
who  am  less  than  the  least  of  all  saints,  is  this 
grace  given,  that  I  should  preach  among  the  Gen- 
tiles the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ.  Lord,  let 
thy  word  run  and  be  glorified  !  Out  of  weakness 
I  am  made  strong:  to  thy  name  alone  be  the  entire 
praise !  And  go  on,  O  go  on,  to  own  tlie  counsel 
of  thy  unworthiest  messenger,  and  to  make  the  feet 
of  him  that  sent  me  sound  behind  me !  Thy  mer- 
cies to  me,  both  as  a  man,  as  a  believer,  and  as  a 
minister,  have  already  been  so  wonderful,  that  there 
is  hardly  any  thing  too  great  for  me  to  hope  for  at 
thy  hands. 

Monday,  29. — This  evening,  after  my  return 
from  Grange,  God  was  very  gracious  to  my  soul. 
My  meditation  of  him  was  sweet,  and  he  gave  me 
songs  in  the  night  season.    I  had  sweet  melting 


222 


LIFE  OF 


views  of  his  special  goodness,  and  of  my  own  ut- 
ter uawortliiness.  The  united  sense  of  these  two 
keeps  the  suul  in  an  even  balance.  I  am  then  hap- 
piest as  well  as  safest,  when  ray  very  exaltations 
laj^  me  lowest. 

Wednesday,  31. — Writing  this  afternoon  to  IMrs. 
Browne,  of  Bath,  I  could  not  help  enumerating 
some  of  God's  chief  mercies  to  me,  both  in  away 
of  providence  and  grace  since  I  saw  her  last. 
Among  other  things,  I  observed  as  follows  :  "  God 
has  also  given  me  in  general,  a  much  greater  por- 
tion of  health  and  strength  than  usual ;  and  crown- 
ed his  other  mercies,  by  enabling  me  to  dispense 
his  gospel,  for  the  most  part,  with  a  liveliness  and 
fervour  which  I  have  seldom  experienced  for  so 
long  a  time  together. — I  sing,  and  ought  to  sing  of 
merc)^  and  loving  kindness.  I  can  indeed  set  up 
my  Ebenezer ;  erect  a  monument  of  thankfuhiess, 
and  inscribe  every  separate  blessing  with  David's 
motto,  "  This  hath  God  done.'  May  his  grace  lay 
me  low  at  his  footstool  as  a  Christian,  and  his  al- 
mighty Spirit  command  success  on  my  unworthy 
labours  as  a  minister!  The  Lord  go  on  to  make 
you,  madam,  happy  in  his  love,  and  an  instrument 
of  extensive  good  to  his  people  below.  In  the  ex- 
ercise of  the  grace  he  has  given  you,  and  in  the 
discharge  of  the  duties  he  has  allotted  to  you,  may 
your  joy  and  peace  flourish  as  the  lily,  and  your 
comforts  cast  forth  the  root  as  Lebanon.  Amid  all 
your  bodily  complaints,  may  his  strength  be  per- 
fected in  your  weakness,  and  his  right  hand  sustain 
you,  until,  by  the  blood  of  tlie  atonement,  and  the 
faithful  guidance  of  his  Spirit,  he  has  brought  you 
to  that  land  of  light,  and  rest,  and  joy,  where  the 
glorified  inhabitant  sliall  no  more,  in  any  sense 
whatever,  say,  I  am  sick." 

Friday,  September  2. — Received  this  morning  a 


REV.    A.   M.  TOPLADY. 


223 


letter  from  a  gospel  friend,  informing  me  that  Mr. 
Morris,  of  the  county  of  Wexford,  in  Ireland, 
(vviiose  ministry  was,  a  little  turned  of  twelve 
years  ago,  blest  to  my  conversion,)  is  waxing  cold 
in  the  work  of  the  Lord.  Upon  which  I  thought 
it  a  debt  due  to  friendship  and  to  the  cause  of  God, 
to  write  him  a  letter.* 

TO  MR.  MORRIS. 

Broad-Hevibury,  Devon,  Sept.  2,  1768. 

It  is  now  about  eight  years  since  I  saw,  or  heard 
from  my  ever  dear  Mr.  Morris.  The  Lord  knows 
you  are  near  my  heart,  and  often  present  to  my 
thoughts.  God  grant  that  this  letter  may  find  my 
valued  friend  as  well  in  body,  and  as  lively  in  soul, 
as  when  I  saw  him  last. 

I  have  been  in  orders  between  six  and  seven 
years,  and  now  write  to  you  from  my  living.  The 
Spirit  of  God  has  kept  me  steadfast  in  his  glorious 
truths,  and  given  me  much  joy  and  peace  in  be- 
lieving. I  trust  too,  that  my  labours  as  a  minister 
have  been  owned  from  above,  to  the  calling  in  of 
some  chosen  vessels,  and  to  the  consolation  of 
others,  who  were  before  quickened  from  their  death 
in  trespasses  and  sins ;  which  I  mention  to  the  praise 
and  glory  of  His  grace,  who  vouclisafes  to  make 
use  of  the  meanest,  the  feeblest,  and  the  un  worthiest 
instrument  to  accomplish  his  designs  of  love  to- 
wards those  he  delights  to  save.  Whilst  I  am  wri- 
ting, the  fire  kindles  in  my  soul;  may  it  reach  your 
heart,  when  this  letter  reaches  your  hands.  1  am 
at  present,  high  on  the  mount  of  divine  love,  and 
can  sing  with  the  church,  Isa.  Ixi.  10.  "I  will 
greatly  rejoice  in  the  Lord,"  &c.  How  is  it  with 
you?    Are  you  as  zealous  for  Christ  and  for  souls, 

*  This  letter  has  been  preserved  in  Mr.  Toplady's  works, 
and  is  here  inserted. 


224 


LIFE  OF 


as  when  God  made  you  the  means  of  my  conver- 
sion, twelve  years  ago  ?  O  tliat  the  Lord  would 
rend  the  heavens  and  come  down,  and  set  you  all 
in  a  flame  for  himself  I  Permit  your  spiritual  son 
to  remind  you  of  the  sweet,  the  memorable  days 
and  months  that  are  past.  Indeed,  and  indeed,  I 
love  you  tenderly,  in  the  bowels  of  Jesus  Christ. 
How  has  my  heart  burnt  within  me,  and  how  have 
my  tears  flowed  like  water  from  the  smitten  rock, 
•when  I  have  heard  you  preach  the  unsearchable 
riches  of  his  grace,  blood  and  righteousness  !  The 
word  came  with  power  and  with  the  Holy  Ghost 
sent  down  from  heaven.  And  is  it  true,  can  it  be 
possible,  that  you  should  cease  from  your  work  of 
calling  sinners  to  repentance  ?  Do  you  withdraw 
your  hand  from  the  gospel-plough,  after  God  has 
made  it  prosper  so  long  in  your  hands  ?  I  am  told 
so,  but  1  cannot  believe  it.  O  man  of  God,  stir  up 
the  gift  that  is  in  thee  ;  let  it  not  rust  and  moulder, 
by  lying  useless.  The  Lord  hath  often  spoken  to 
me  by  your  mouth.  O  that  he  would  now  speak  to 
you  by  my  pen  !  Do,  at  my  request,  meet  the  dear 
people  of  Codymain,  and  wlio  knows,  but  there 
may  once  more  be  showers  of  blessings.  Blow  the 
trumpet  in  Zion  as  heretofore.  While  life,  and 
health,  and  strength  continue,  let  your  feet  stand 
upon  the  mountains,  and  the  law  of  gospel  kindness 
dwell  upon  your  tongue,  to  the  very  last :  yea,  let 
your  lips  feed  many.  Adieu. 

I  scarcely  know  how  to  leave  oif  when  I  write 
to  any  of  my  brethren  in  the  faith.  If  even  the 
poor,  feeble,  mortal  saints  below  love  one  another 
so  well,  no  wonder  that  the  love  of  an  infinite  God 
to  his  own  dear  elect  should  be  from  everlasting 
to  everlasting.  Electing,  justifying,  regenerating, 
sanctifying,  and  persevering  grace,  have  been,  and 
are  the  subjects  of  my  ministry  ;  and  I  hope  will 


REV.    A.    M.   TOPLADY.  225 


be  to  my  latest  breath.  It"  a  messenger  of  Christ 
is  under  the  lively  experimental  influence  of  these 
glorious  truths,  the  word  of  his  Master  will  be  as 
fire  in  his  bones;  yea,  he  will  be  in  pangs,  as  it 
were,  like  a  woman  in  travail,  until  Christ  is  form- 
ed in  the  hearts  of  them  that  hear.  God  Almighty 
pour  out  such  a  spirit  of  fervency  on  my  dear  Mr. 
Morris,  and  on  his 

Ever  affectionate  friend, 

Augustus  M.  Toplady. 

Saturday,  24. — Dined  at  Ottery  to-day  at  Mr. 
Dare's.  Our  conversation  turned  partly  on  histori- 
cal, partly  on  religious  subjects.  We  talked  parti- 
cularly on  the  nature  of  regeneration ;  and  I  took 
occasion,  among  other  things,  to  observe,  that  the 
■whole  process  of  the  new  birth  seems  included  in 
that  three-fold  conviction,  mentioned  by  our  Lord, 
and  declared  by  him  to  be  the  office  of  the  Holy 
Ghost;  namely,  1.  Conviction  of  sin,  or  of  our 
total  depravity  by  nature  and  practice;  of  the  im- 
possibility of  our  being  justified  by  works ;  of  our 
liableness  to  the  whole  curse  of  the  law;  and  our 
absolute  inability  to  help,  save,  or  recover  ourselves, 
whether  in  whole  or  in  part.  2.  Conviction  of 
righteousness,  that  is,  of  the  perfection,  necessity, 
and  efficacy  of  Christ's  righteousness,  in  order  to 
justification  before  God.  3.  Conviction  of  judg- 
ment, or  that  act  of  the  Holy  Spirit  on  the  soul, 
whereby  "  the  prince  of  this  world  is  judged ;" 
brought,  as  it  were,  to  the  bar;  found  guilty  of  usur- 
pation, and  dethroned;  from  which  happy  moment, 
the  sinner  is  brought  into  sweet  subjection  to  God, 
his  lawful  sovereign  ;  sin  is  weakened  as  to  its  do- 
minion, in  order  to  its  final  extirpation;  and  the  re- 
generate soul  is  more  and  more  conformed  to  the 
image  of  God's  holiness.    So  that,  I  suppose,  con- 


226 


LIFE  OF 


viction  of  sin  is  only  another  name  for  evangelical 
repentance;  conviction  of  righteousness,  for  true 
faitli  in  Clirist;  and  conviction  of  judgment,  a  peri- 
phrasis for  sanctification :  which  three  capital  graces 
are  the  constituents  of  regeneration.  Toward  even- 
ing returned  to  Broad-Hembury. 

Sunday,  25. — In  the  morning  read  prayers  and 
preached ;  and  the  power  of  God  appeared  to  ac- 
company the  word  spoken.  Young  Mr.  Minifie, 
in  particular,  was,  I  am  informed,  greatly  affected 
from  above.  In  tlie  afternoon  the  congregation  was 
by  far  the  greatest  I  ever  yet  saw  here :  the  people 
flocked  like  doves  to  the  windows;  and  such  an 
auditory,  and  that  auditory  so  solemn  and  atten- 
tive, was  a  most  awful  affecting  sight.  I  read 
prayers  and  preached  with  a  fervour,  strength,  and 
liveliness,  which  only  God  could  give.  His  word 
seems  to  run  like  fire  wl)ich  none  can  quench. 
Lord,  pardon  my  unworthiness,  and  accomplish 
the  work  of  thy  grace  upon  the  hearts  of  them  that 
hear,  and  on  the  base  sinful  heart  of  me,  the  fee- 
blest and  most  undeserving  of  thy  messengers! — 
After  evening  service  Mary  Ellis  called  on  me.  If 
ever  a  soul  was  truly  convinced  of  sin,  I  believe 
she  is  so.  I  endeavoured  to  administer  balm  to 
her  wounded  spirit,  by  opening  up  the  promises, 
and  unfolding  a  little  of  the  unsearchable  riches  of 
Christ.  This  morning,  as  I  was  going  to  church, 
Joan  Venn  put  a  paper  into  my  hands.  Last 
Tuesday  she  gave  me  an  account  of  God's  past 
dealings  with  her  soul:  and  I  have  seldom  seen  a 
person,  of  the  truth  of  whose  conversion  I  had  so 
little  cause  to  doubt.  In  consequence  of  our  inter- 
view that  day,  she  has  had  some  exercises  of  mind, 
as  I  find  from  this  paper,  which,  omitting  what  re- 
lates to  my  unwortliy  self,  runs  thus: — "  I  have 
had  very  deep  thoughts,  and  very  great  trouble, 


K  E  V.   A.   M.  T  O  P  L  A  D  Y. 


227 


since  my  last  discourse  with  you.  I  have  looked 
into  my  life  past ;  I  have  ransacked  my  soul,  and 
called  to  mind  tlie  sinful  failings  of  my  youth :  and 
I  find  it  very  hard  and  difficult  to  make  my  calling 
and  election  sure.  I  have  earnestly  desired  to 
leave  no  corner  of  my  soul  unsearched;  and  I  find 
myself  a  very  grievous  and  wretched  sinner.  I 
have  committed  grievous  sins,  very  grievous  sins, 
such  sins  as  are  not  fit  to  be  named  before  God's 
saints.  I  have  examined  my  soul  by  each  particu- 
lar commandment,  and  find  myself  guilty  of  the 
breach  of  all,  and  that  in  a  high  degree.  And  now, 
when  I  look  upon  the  glass  of  the  law,  and  there 
see  my  own  vileness,  I  find  God's  justice  and  my 
own  deserts  even  ready  to  surprise  me  and  cast 
me  down  into  the  nethermost  hell,  and  that  most 
righteously:  but,  oh,  see  the  goodness  of  a  gracious 
God,  in  that  he  hath  given  me  a  sight  of  my  sins ! 
And  I  am  inclined  to  think,  that,  if  God  did  not 
work  with  me,  tiiis  sorrow  could  not  be.  O,  sir, 
I  cannot  but  let  you  know,  that  sometimes  I  have 
some  blessed  thoughts  of  God:  and  oh,  how  sweet 
are  they  to  my  soul !  they  are  so  ravishing,  that  I 
cannot  possibly  declare  it ;  but  they  are  like  the 
morning  cloud  and  early  dew,  soon  gone,  and  then 
I  am  afraid.  I  have  had  abundance  of  trials  and 
temptations  in  these  three  years  almost;  but  if  I 
could  think  that  my  dear  Lord  had  shed  his  blood 
for  me,  I  should  not  be  so  much  shaken ;  and,  be- 
cause I  cannot  apply  these  things  to  myself,  my 
heart  doth  mourn  within  me.  I  am  gready  afraid 
of  the  deceitfulness  of  my  heart,  lest  that  should 
deceive  me.  But  let  the  righteous  smite  me,  and 
it  shall  be  a  kindness ;  and  let  him  reprove  me, 
and  it  shall  be  excellent  oil  which  shall  not  break 
my  head.  O  that  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  would  but 
sprinkle  what  I  have  said,  with  his  precious  blood ! 
And,  now  I  have  opened  my  soul  to  you,  I  most 


228 


LIFE  OP 


humbly  beg  and  desire  your  advice  concerning 
these  weighty  matters:  for  they  are  matters  which 
concern  my  never-dying  soul.  And  I  have  a  high 
esteem  for  you:  but  what  is  my  esteem?  The 
esteem  of  a  poor  worm:  of  a  poor  sinful  creature. 

0  that  the  Lord  would  let  me  see  more  and  more 
my  own  vileness !  Now  I  have  declared  to  you 
what  the  Lord,  through  grace  hath  revealed  to  me; 
though  I  am  unworthy  to  write  to  such,"  (fee. 

O  that  all  my  parishioners  were,  not  only  almost, 
but  altogether  such  in  spirit  as  this  woman  !  Illi- 
terate she  is,  and,  I  believe,  chiefly  supports  her- 
self by  spinning :  but,  when  God  teaches,  souls 
are  taught  indeed. 

October  2,  Sunday,  1768. — In  the  morning  read 
prayers  and  preached  to  a  large  and  affected  audi- 
tory :  afterwards  I  administered  the  blessed  sacra- 
ment. Last  Whitsunday,  I  had  but  thirty-six  com- 
municants: to-day  I  had  the  comfort  of  counting 
sixty-one.  It  was  a  season  of  spiritual  joy  and 
refreshment.  Duty  is  pleasant  when  God  is  pre- 
sent. In  the  afternoon  read  prayers  and  preached 
to  a  still  more  crowded  church  than  ever.  Great 
were  my  strength  and  joy  in  the  Lord :  and  the 
word,  I  verily  trust,  was  armed  with  divine  power. 
Mr.  Pratt,  of  Dalwood,  in  Dorsetshire,  with  two 
other  gentlemen  of  the  same  place,  were  here  both 
parts  of  the  day.  I  know  not  that  I  ever  spent  a 
more  comfortable  and  triumphant  Sabbath.  How 
is  it,  O  thou  God  of  love,  that  thy  tender  mercies 
should  thus  accompany  and  follow  the  vilest  sin- 
ner out  of  hell !  That  to  me,  who  am  less  than  the 
least  of  all  saints,  this  grace  should  be  given,  that 

1  should  both  experience  and  preach  the  unsearch- 
able riches  of  Christ! 

It  is  much  to  be  regretted  that  this  diary  was 
only  continued  for  ten  montlis. 


K  E  V.  A.  M.  T  O  P  L  A  D  T. 


229 


It  is  well  known  that  Mr.  Toplady  was  engaged 
in  various  controversial  publications;  in  this  brief 
account  of  him,  but  little  need  be  said  on  this  sub- 
ject, especially  as  his  works  are  all  before  the 
public. 

In  the  year  1768,  six  students  were  expelled  the 
University  of  Oxford;  much  investigation  relative 
to  the  cause  took  place,  and  several  pamphlets 
were  written  on  the  occasion.  It  was  in  some  de- 
gree the  means  of  reviving  an  inquiry  respecting 
the  Calvinism  or  Arminianism  of  the  Church  of 
England. 

Dr.  Nowell  peremptorily  asserted  the  Arminian- 
ism of  the  Church  of  England  in  answer  to  Pietus 
Oxoniensis.  This  called  forth  the  pen  of  Mr. 
Toplady,  in  a  treatise  publislied  in  the  year  1769, 
with  the  following  tide  :  "  The  Church  of  England 
vindicated  from  the  charge  of  Arminianism,  in  a 
letter  addressed  to  Dr.  Nowell." 

In  the  same  year  he  published  a  tract  in  Eng- 
lish, from  the  Latin  of  Jerom  Zanchius,  with  this 
inscription,  "  The  Doctrine  of  absolute  Predestina- 
tion stated  and  asserted,  with  a  Preliminary  Dis- 
course on  the  Divine  Attributes,  accompanied  with 
the  Life  of  Zanchius."  This  piece  was  finished 
by  Mr.  Toplady  when  he  was  about  twenty  years 
of  age,  but  it  was  not  announced  to  the  public  until 
nine  years  after.  The  translation  was  undertaken 
with  a  view  to  illustrate  the  principles  of  the  Re- 
formation, and  obviate  objections  that  have  been 
urged,  that  the  doctrine  of  predestination  was  but 
partially  received  by  those  eminent  men,  who  had 
then  lately  left  the  church  of  Rome. 

In  the  year  1771,  were  published  three  sermons 
by  Mr.  Toplady,  preached  in  his  church,  at  Broad- 
Hembury,  Dec.  25,  1770,  two  of  whicii  were  en- 
tided,  "  Jesus  seen  of  Angels,"  and  the  third, 
"  God's  Mindfulness  of  Man." 


230 


LIFE  OF 


In  the  beginning  of  the  year  1774,  a  religions 
pamphlet  was  priiitetl,  called  the  Gospel  Magazine; 
being  a  new  series  of  a  former  work  under  that 
name,  which  was  continued  statedly.  From  De- 
cember, 1775,  to  June,  1776,  Mr.  Toplady  was 
the  editor,  which  enhanced  the  sale  considerably. 

Mr.  Toplady  had  but  a  very  weak  and  languid 
body;  yet  this  by  no  means  retarded  his  intense 
application  to  study,  which  was  often  prolonged 
until  two  or  three  o'clock  in  the  morning;  this, 
and  the  cold  moist  air  to  which  he  had  been  expo- 
sed, probably  laid  the  foundation  of  a  consumption, 
which  terminated  in  his  death.  He  endeavoured 
to  exchange  his  living  for  one  in  a  southern  pari  of 
the  island,  but  could  not  obtain  it.  As  his  strength 
and  health  were  greatly  impaired,  he  was  advised 
by  the  faculty  to  remove  to  London,  which  he  ac- 
cordingly did  in  the  year  1775;  and,  notwithstand- 
ing his  debilitated  I'rame,  he  continued  to  j)reach  a 
number  of  sermons  in  various  churches,  for  the 
benefit  of  public  charitable  institutions. 

Having  no  settled  situation  in  the  metropolis  to 
preach  in,  and  many  of  his  friends  being  desirous 
of  receiving  the  advantages  of  his  ministry,  they 
procured,  by  an  engagement  with  the  trustees  of 
the  French  Calvinist  Reformed  Church,  in  Orange 
street,  Leicester  Fields,  their  chapel  for  divine 
service  on  Sunday  and  Wednesday  evenings.  Mr. 
Toplady  accordingly  preached  his  first  sermon 
there  on  Sunday,  April  11th,  1776,  from  the  44th 
of  Isaiah,  verse  the  22d.  It  was  on  the  same  spot 
that  he  closed  his  ministerial  labours,  which  con- 
tinued for  the  term  of  two  years  and  three  months. 
In  liis  addresses  from  the  pulpit  in  that  chapel,  he 
appeared  often,  as  it  were,  divested  of  the  body, 
and  to  be  in  the  participation  of  the  happiness  that 
appertains  to  the  invisible  state.    It  was  not  the 


REV.  A.   M.  TOPLADY, 


231 


mechanical  process  of  preaching',  regulated  by  the 
caprice  of  the  moment:  what  he  delivered  he  felt, 
and  his  feelings  proceeded  from  thoughlfuhiess, 
meditation  and  experience ;  an  experience  illumi- 
nated by  divine  knowledge,  which  continued  co- 
piously increasing  the  nearer  he  approached  his 
heavenly  inheritance. 

During  the  time  of  his  residence  at  Orange  street 
Chapel,  he  published,  in  the  year  1770,  a  collec- 
tion of  Psalms  and  Hymns,  for  public  and  private 
Avorship.  The  compositions  are  four  hundred  and 
nineteen  in  number.* 

The  apprehensions  entertained  for  some  time 
past,  by  those  who  loved  Mr.  Toplady,  that  his 
health  was  on  the  decline,  began  now  to  be  con- 
firmed. For,  on  Easter  Sunday,  the  19th  of  April, 
1778,  as  he  attempted  to  speak  from  Isaiah  xxvi. 
19,  "  Thy  dead  men  shall  live;  together  with  my 
dead  body  shall  they  arise,"  &c.,  his  hoarseness 
was  so  violent,  that  he  was  obliged,  after  naming 
the  text,  to  descend  from  the  pulpit.  Yet  so  ar- 
dently abounding  was  he  in  the  ministry  of  the 
word,  that  when  the  least  abatement  in  his  disor- 
der gave  him  a  little  strength,  he  entered  upon  his 
delightful  work  with  as  much  alacrity  of  spirit  as 
if  he  was  in  a  state  of  convalescence.  After 
preaching,  he  has  been  so  enfeebled  as  to  create 
the  most  exquisite  sensibility  in  the  breasts  of  those 
who  have  beheld  him.  He  preached  four  times 
after  the  above  Sunday;  and,  on  each  occasion, 
his  words  were  to  the  congregation,  as  if  he  should 

*  Mr.  Montg-omery  observes,  as  to  Mr.  Toplady's  own 
Hymns,  "  There  is  a  |)eculiar  etherial  spirit,  in  some  of 
them ;  whether  mourning  or  rejoicing-,  praying  or  prais- 
ing,  the  writer  seems  absorbed  in  the  full  triumph  of  faith; 
'  and  whether  in  the  body  or  out  of  the  body,  caught  up 
into  tlic  third  heaven,'  and  beholding  unutterable  things." 


232 


1 1 F  E  OF 


never  see  ihem  more,  until  he  met  them  in  the  king- 
dom of  heaven. 

While  he  was  waiting  and  earnestly  desiring  a 
dismission  from  the  body,  and  having,  as  he  him- 
self expressed,  setded  all  his  concerns  respecting 
both  Avorlds,  so  as  to  have  nothing  to  do  but  die, 
he  received  a  shaft  that  was  quite  unexpected.  A 
report  had  been  propagated,  that  Mr.  Toplady  had 
receded  from  his  former  principles,  and  had  a  de- 
sire to  protest  against  them  in  the  presence  of  Mr. 
Wesley.  Ijctters  from  the  country  were  sent  to 
him,  mentioning  his  recantation,  as  also  some  ver- 
bal intimations  from  those  who  were  present  when 
the  intelligence  was  given.  When  the  above  trans- 
actions were  rehearsed  to  him,  it  rekindled  the 
dying  embers  that  remained.  He  acquainted  his 
physician  with  his  intention  of  going  before  his 
congregation  again,  to  make  a  solemn  appeal  in 
reference  to  his  past  and  present  principles.  He 
was  informed  that  it  would  be  dangerous  in  him  to 
make  the  attempt,  and  that  probably  he  might  die 
in  the  execution  of  it.  He  replied,  with  his  usual 
magnanimity,  "  A  good  man  once  said,  he  would 
rather  wear  out  than  rust  out;  and  I  would  rather 
die  in  the  harness  than  die  in  the  stall."  On  Sun- 
day, June  14th,  he  came  from  Knightsbridge ;  and, 
after  a  sermon  by  his  assistant,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Illing- 
worth,  he  went  up  into  the  pulpit,  to  the  inexpres- 
sible surprise  of  his  people,  and  made  a  short,  but 
affecting  exhortation,  from  the  2d  epistle  of  Peter, 
i.  13,  14 :  "  Yea,  I  think  it  meet,  as  long  as  I  am 
in  this  tabernacle,  to  stir  you  up,  by  putting  you 
in  remembrance,  knowing  that  shortly  I  must  put 
off  this  my  tabernacle,  even  as  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  hath  showed  me."  When  mentioning  the 
sensible  peace  he  was  a  recipient  of,  and  the  joy 
and  consolation  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  which  he  had 


EEV.   A.   M.   TOP  LADY. 


233 


participated  of  for  several  montlis  past,  and  the 
desirable  expectation  tiiat,  in  a  few  days,  he  must 
resign  liis  mortal  part  to  corruption,  as  a  prelude 
to  his  seeing  tiie  King  in  his  beauty,  the  effect 
produced  upon  his  auditory  cannot  be  described. 
He  closed  his  address,  respecting  the  purport  of 
his  coming  there,  and  the  substance  was  printed 
in  a  week  after,  entitled,  "  The  Rev.  Mr.  Topla- 
dy's  Dying  Avowal  of  his  Religious  Sentiments." 

We  shall  now  introduce  a  few  extracts  from  a 
small  narrative,  published  a  short  lime  after  his 
death.  Some  of  his  observations  and  remarks  were, 
by  a  few  persons,  who  where  present,  committed 
to  writing,  that  they  might  not  be  effaced  from  the 
memory,  and  for  the  satisfaction  of  otliers. 

In  conversation  with  a  gentleman  of  the  faculty, 
not  long  before  his  death,  Mr.  Toplady  frequently 
disclaimed  with  abhorrence  the  least  dependence  on 
his  own  righteousness,  as  any  cause  of  his  justifi- 
cation before  God,  and  said,  that  he  rejoiced  only 
in  the  free,  complete,  and  everlasting  salvation  of 
God's  elect  by  Jesus  Christ,  through  the  sanctilica- 
tion  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  We  cannot  satisfy  the 
reader  more  than  by  giving  his  friend's  own  relation 
of  the  intercourse  and  conversation.  "  A  remark- 
able jealousy  was  apparent  in  his  whole  conduct, 
for  fear  of  receiving  any  part  of  that  honour  which 
is  due  to  Christ  alone.  He  desired  to  be  nothing, 
and  that  Jesus  might  be  all  and  in  all.  His  feel- 
ings were  so  very  tender  upon  this  subject,  that  I 
once  undesignedly  put  liim  almost  in  an  agony,  by 
remarking  the  great  loss  which  the  church  of 
Christ  would  sustain  by  his  death,  at  this  particu- 
lar juncture.  The  utmost  distress  was  immediate- 
ly visible  in  his  countenance,  and  he  exclaimed  to 
this  purpose: — What  by  my  death?  No!  By  my 
death  ?  No.  Jesus  Christ  is  able,  and  will,  by 
20 


234 


LIFE  OF 


proper  instruments,  defend  his  own  truths.  And 
witli  regard  to  what  little  I  have  been  enabled  to 
do  in  this  way,  not  to  me,  not  to  me,  but  to  his  own 
name,  and  to  that  only,  be  the  glory. 

"  Conversing  upon  the  subject  of  election,  he 
said.  That  God's  everlasting  love  to  his  chosen 
people;  his  eternal,  particular,  most  free  and  im- 
mutable choice  of  them  in  Christ  Jesus,  was  with- 
out the  least  respect  to  any  work  or  works  of  righte- 
ousness, wrought  or  to  be  wrought,  or  that  ever 
should  be  wrought,  in  them  or  by  them  ;  for  God's 
election  does  not  depend  upon  our  sanctification, 
but  our  sanctification  depends  upon  God's  election 
and  appointment  of  us  to  everlasting  life. — At  an- 
other time  he  was  so  atTected  with  a  sense  of  God's 
everlasting  love  to  his  soul,  that  he  could  not  refrain 
from  bursting  into  tears. 

"  The  more  his  bodily  strength  was  impaired, 
the  more  vigorous,  lively,  and  rejoicing  his  mind 
seemed  to  be.  From  the  whole  tenor  of  his  con- 
versation during  our  interviews,  he  appeared  not 
merely  placid  and  serene,  but  he  evidently  pos- 
sessed the  fullest  assurance  of  the  most  triumphant 
faith.  He  repeatedly  told  me,  that  he  had  not  had 
the  least  shadow  of  a  doubt,  respecting  his  eternal 
salvation  for  nearly  two  years  past.  It  is  no  won- 
der, therefore,  that  he  so  earnestly  longed  to  be 
dissolved  and  to  be  with  Christ.  His  soul  seemed 
to  be  constantly  panting  heaven-ward ;  and  his  de- 
sires increased  the  nearer  his  dissolution  approach- 
ed. A  short  time  before  his  death,  at  his  request, 
I  felt  his  pulse;  and  he  desired  to  know  what  I 
thought  of  it.  I  told  him,  that  his  heart  and  ar- 
teries evidendy  beat,  almost  every  day,  weaker  and 
weaker.  He  replied  immediately,  with  the  sweet- 
est smile  upon  his  countenance.  Why,  that  is  a 
good  sign  that  my  death  is  fast  approaching;  and. 


REV.  A,  M.  TOPLADY. 


235 


blessed  be  God,  I  can  add,  that  my  heart  beats 
every  day  stronger  and  stronger  for  glory. 

"  A  few  days  preceding  his  dissolution,  I  found 
him  sitting  up  in  his  arm  chair,  and  scarcely  able 
to  move  or  speak.  1  addressed  him  very  sofdy, 
and  asked  if  his  consolations  continued  to  abound 
as  they  had  hitherto  done.  He  quickly  replied,  0 
my  dear  sir,  it  is  impossible  to  describe  how  good 
God  is  to  me.  Since  I  have  been  sitting  in  this 
chair  this  afternoon,  (glory  be  to  his  name!)  I  have 
enjoyed  such  a  season,  such  sweet  communion 
with  God,  and  such  delightful  manifestations  of 
his  presence  with  and  love  to  my  soul,  that  it  is 
impossible  for  words  or  any  language  to  express 
them.  I  have  had  peace  and  joy  unutterable;  and 
I  fear  not,  but  that  God's  consolations  and  support 
will  continue.  But  he  immediately  recollected 
himself,  and  added.  What  have  I  said?  God  may, 
to  be  sure,  as  a  Sovereign,  hide  his  face  and  his 
smiles  from  me;  however,  I  believe  he  will  not; 
and  if  he  should,  yet  still  will  I  trust  in  him:  I 
know  I  am  safe  and  secure,  for  his  love  and  his 
covenant  are  everlasting." 

To  another  friend  who,  in  a  conversation  with 
him  upon  the  subject  of  his  principles,  had  asked 
him  whether  any  doubt  remained  upon  his  mind 
respecting  the  truth  of  them  ;  he  answered,  Doubt, 
sir,  doubt !  Pray  use  not  that  word,  when  speak- 
ing of  me.  I  cannot  endure  the  term,  at  least  while 
God  continues  to  shine  upon  my  soul  in  the  gra- 
cious manner  he  does  now  :  not  (added  he)  but 
that  I  am  sensible,  that  while  in  the  body,  if  left  of 
him,  I  am  capable,  through  the  power  of  tempta- 
tion, of  calling  into  question  every  truth  of  the  gos- 
pel. But  that  is  so  far  from  being  the  case,  that  the 
comforts  and  manifestations  of  his  love  are  so  abun- 
dant as  to  render  my  state  and  condition  the  most 


236 


LIFE  OF 


desirable  in  the  world.  I  would  not  exchange  my 
condition  with  any  one  npon  eartli.  And,  with 
respect  to  my  principles,  those  blessed  truths  which 
I  have  been  enabled  in  my  poor  measure  to  main- 
tain, appear  to  me,  more  than  ever,  most  gloriously 
indubitable.  My  own  existence  is  not,  to  my  ap- 
prehension, a  greater  certainty." 

The  same  friend  calling  upon  him  a  day  or  two 
before  his  death,  he  said,  with  hands  clasped,  and 
his  eyes  lifted  up  and  starting  with  tears  of  the 
most  evident  joy,  O  my  dear  sir,  I  cannot  tell  you 
the  comforts  I  feel  in  my  soul ;  they  are  past  ex- 
pression! The  consolations  of  God  to  such  an  un- 
worthy wretch  are  so  abundant,  that  he  leaves  me 
nothing  to  pray  for,  but  a  continuance  of  them.  I 
enjoy  a  heaven  already  in  my  soul.  My  prayers 
are  all  converted  into  praise.  Nevertheless,  I  do 
not  forget,  that  I  am  still  in  the  body,  and  liable  to 
all  those  distressing  fears  which  are  incident  to 
human  nature,  when  under  temptation  and  without 
any  sensible  divine  support.  But  so  long  as  the 
presence  of  God  continues  with  me,  in  the  degree 
I  now  enjoy  it,  I  cannot  but  think  that  such  a  des- 
ponding frame  is  impossible.  All  this  he  spake 
with  an  emphasis  the  most  ardent  that  can  be  con- 
ceived. 

Speaking  to  another  particular  friend  upon  the 
subject  of  his  "dying  avowal,"  he  expressed  him- 
self thus:  "  My  dear  friend,  those  great  and  glo- 
rious truths,  which  the  Lord,  in  rich  mercy,  has 
given  me  to  believe,  and  which  he  has  enabled  me, 
though  very  feebly,  to  stand  forth  intlie  defence  of, 
are  not,  as  those  who  believe  not  or  oppose  them 
say,  dry  doctrines,  or  mere  speculative  points.  No. 
But,  being  brought  into  practical  and  heart-felt  ex- 
perience, they  are  the  very  joy  and  support  of  my 
soul;  and  the  consolations  flowing  from  them,  carry 


REV.   A.   M.  TOPLADY. 


237 


me  far  above  the  things  of  time  and  sense."  Soon 
afterwards  he  added,  "  So  far  as  I  know  my  own 
heart,  I  have  no  desire  but  to  be  entirely  passive; 
to  live,  to  die,  to  be,  to  do,  to  sutler,  whatever  is 
God's  blessed  will  concerning  me;  being  perfectly 
satisfied,  that  as  he  ever  has  done,  so  he  ever  will 
do,  that  which  is  best  concerning  me ;  and  that  he 
deals  out,  in  number,  weight,  and  measure,  what- 
ever will  conduce  most  to  his  own  glory,  and  to  the 
good  of  his  people." 

Another  of  his  friends,  mentioning  likewise  the 
report  that  was  spread  abroad  of  his  recanting  his 
former  principles  ;  he  said,  with  some  vehemence 
and  emotion,  "  I  recant  my  former  principles !  God 
forbid  that  I  should  be  so  vile  an  apostate."  To 
which  he  presently  added,  with  great  apparent  hu- 
mility, "  And  yet  that  apostate  I  should  soon  be, 
if  I  were  left  to  myself." 

To  the  same  friend,  conversing  upon  the  subject 
of  his  sickness,  he  said:  "  Sickness  is  no  affliction; 
pain  no  curse;  death  itself  no  dissolution." 

All  his  conversations,  as  he  approached  nearer 
and  nearer  to  his  decease,  seemed  more  and  more 
happy,  and  heavenly.  He  frequently  called  him- 
self the  happiest  man  in  the  world.  "  Oh !  (said 
he)  how  this  soul  of  mine  longs  to  be  gone  !  Like 
a  bird  imprisoned  in  a  cage,  it  longs  to  take  its 
flight.  O  that  I  had  wings  like  a  dove,  then  would 
I  flee  away  to  the  realms  of  bliss,  and  be  at  rest 
forever!  O  that  some  guardian  angel  might  be 
commissioned,  for  I  long  to  be  absent  from  this 
body,  and  to  be  with  my  Lord  for  ever.  Being 
asked  by  a  friend,  if  he  always  enjoyed  such  ma- 
nifestations, he  answered,  I  cannot  say  there  are 
no  intermissions ;  for,  if  there  were  not,  my  con- 
solations would  be  more  and  greater  than  I  could 
possibly  bear;  but  when  they  abate,  they  leave 


238 


LIFE  OF 


such  an  abiding  sense  of  God's  goodness,  and  of 
the  certainty  of  my  being  fixed  upon  the  eternal 
rock  Christ  Jesus,  that  my  soul  is  still  filled  with 
peace  and  joy. 

At  another  time,  and  indeed  for  many  days  to- 
gether, he  cried  out,  "  Oh  what  a  day  of  sunshine 
has  this  been  to  me !  I  have  not  words  to  express 
it.  It  is  unutterable.  O  my  friends,  how  good  is 
God !  almost  without  interruption  his  presence 
has  been  with  me."  And  then,  repeating  seve- 
ral passages  of  Scripture,  he  added,  "  What  a 
great  thing  it  is  to  rejoice  in  death  !"  Speaking  of 
Christ,  he  said,  "His  love  is  unutterable!"  He 
was  happy  in  declaring,  that  the  eighth  chapter  of 
the  epistle  to  the  Romans,  from  the  thirty-third  to 
the  end  of  the  six  following  verses,  were  the  joy 
and  comfort  of  his  soul.  Upon  that  portion  of 
Scripture  he  often  descanted  with  great  delight, 
and  would  be  frequently  ejaculating,  "  Lord  Jesus ! 
why  tarriest  thou  so  long!"  He  sometimes  said, 
"  I  find  as  the  bottles  of  heaven  empty  they  are 
filled  again;"  meaning,  probably,  the  continual 
comforts  of  grace,  which  he  abundantly  enjoyed. 

When  he  drew  near  his  end,  he  said,  waking 
from  a  slumber:  "O  what  delights!  Who  can 
fathom  the  joys  of  the  third  heaven  ?"  And,  a 
litde  before  his  departure,  he  was  blessing  and 
praising  God  for  continuing  to  him  his  understand- 
ing in  clearness;  but,  added  he  in  a  rapture,  "  for 
what  is  most  of  all,  his  abiding  presence,  and  the 
shining  of  his  love  upon  my  soul.  The  sky,  says 
he,  is  clear;  there  is  no  cloud  :  Come,  Lord  Jesus, 
come  quickly !" 

Within  an  hour  of  his  death  he  called  his  friends 
and  his  servant,  and  asked  them  if  they  could  give 
him  up:  upon  their  answering  in  the  affirmative, 
since  it  pleased  the  Lord  to  be  so  gracious  to  him. 


REV.    A.    M.    T  O  P  L  A  D  Y. 


239 


he  replied,  "  Oh  whnl  a  blessing  it  is,  you  are 
made  willing  to  give  me  up  into  the  hands  of  my 
dear  Redeemer,  and  to  part  with  me  ;  it  will  not  be 
long  before  God  takes  me;  for  no  mortal  man  can 
live  (bursting,  while  he  said  it,  into  tears  of  joy) 
after  the  glories  which  God  has  manifested  to  my 
soul."  Soon  after  this  he  closed  his  eyes,  and 
found,  as  Milton  finely  expresses  it, 

 A  death,  like  sleep, 

A  gentle  wafting  to  immortal  life, 

on  Tuesday,  August  the  11th,  1778,  in  the  38th 
year  of  his  age. 

On  Monday,  August  the  17th,  at  four  o'clock 
in  the  afternoon,  his  remains  were  brought  from 
Knightsbridge  to  Tottenham  Court  Chapel,  to  be 
interred.  Though  the  time  was  kept  as  private  as 
possible,  there  were,  notwithstanding,  several  thou- 
sands of  persons  present  at  the  solemnity.  It  was 
his  particular  request  that  no  funeral  sermon  should 
be  preached;  he  desired  to  slip  into  the  tomb  un- 
noticed and  unregarded.  His  soul  disdained  to 
borrow  posthumous  fame.  He  had  no  wish  to 
have  his  memory  perpetuated  by  those  little  arts 
and  finesses  so  often  practised;  he  knew  that  his 
record  was  on  high,  and  that  his  name  was  written 
in  the  Lamb's  book  of  life.  He  sought  for  no  eu- 
logium  while  living;  and  any  panegyrics  bestowed 
upon  him  when  his  course  was  run,  he  knew  could 
be  of  no  service,  and  that  they  are  often  too  justly 
construed  to  proceed  from  pride,  vanity,  and  weak- 
ness. 

The  Rev.  Rowland  Hill,  prior  to  the  burial  ser- 
vice, could  not  refrain  from  innocently  trespassing 
upon  the  solicitation  of  his  departed  friend,  by  ad- 
dressing the  multitude  on  the  solemn  occasion,  and 
embraced  the  opportunity  of  affectionately  declar- 


240 


B  E  V.   A.  M.  T  0  P  L  A  D  T. 


ing  the  love  and  veneration  he  felt  for  the  deceased. 
The  beautiful  simplicity  of  his  pathos,  and  the  ex- 
quisite sensibility  he  showed,  were  more  than 
equivalent  to  the  most  studied  harangue.  The  fu- 
neral service  was  read  by  Dr.  lllingworth,  and 
concluded  with  a  suitable  hymn.  . 

Some  enemies  of  Mr.  Toplady  having  raised 
various  false  reports  as  to  the  state  of  his  mind  in 
his  last  hours,  Sir  Richard  Hill  refuted  these  slan- 
ders: he  quotes  the  two  following  remarks  made 
by  Mr.  Toplady  not  long  before  his  death.  The 
first  was — "  'J'o  a  person  interested  in  the  salvation 
of  Christ,  sickness  is  no  disease,  pain  no  affliction, 
death  no  dissolution."  The  other  was  an  answer 
to  Dr.  Gilford,  in  consequence  of  the  doctor's  ex- 
pressing hopes  that  Mr.  Toplady  might  recover, 
and  be  again  useful.  Mr.  Toplady  heard  what  his 
friend  had  to  say,  and  then  expressed  himself  near- 
ly in  the  following  words:  "I  believe  God  never 
gave  such  manifestations  of  his  love  to  any  crea- 
ture, and  suffered  him  to  live." 

The  following  attestation  was  also  given  by  An- 
drew Gifford,  D.  D.  British  Museum  ;  John  Ry- 
land,  senior,  Northampton;  Thomas  Evans,  Apo- 
thecary, Knights-bridge;  and  Elizabeth  Sterling, 
nurse;  with  nine  other  persons : 

"  We,  whose  names  are  underwritten,  are  wil- 
ling to  testify  upon  oath,  if  required,  that  all  the 
particulars  published  to  the  world  in  the  late  me- 
moirs, relative  to  the  illness  and  death  of  the  late 
Rev.  Augustus  Montague  Toplady,  are  strictly 
true;  we  ourselves  having  been  eye  and  ear-wit- 
nesses of  the  same." 


THE  END. 


